


In Time

by JDBloom



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2014-01-25
Packaged: 2017-11-28 19:58:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDBloom/pseuds/JDBloom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt lives in a world where after turning 25 you are given one more year to live or use to survive, after that you must get more time or die. Rated M for character deaths, language and implied sex.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"I don't have much time. I don't have time to worry about how it happened, it is what it is. We're genetically engineered to stop aging at twenty-five. The trouble is we live only one more year, unless we can get more time. Time is now the currency. We earn it and spend it. The rich can live forever and the rest of us... Just once I'd like to wake up with more time on my hand than hours in the day."

Kurt Hummel looked down at the timer on his left arm, twenty-three hours and forty-eight minutes with thirty-one, thirty, twenty-nine and so on as each second passed by. He got up from his bed, knowing his dad was already up and about in the kitchen getting ready to leave for the day.

He walked over to his window and pulled the curtains apart letting some light in. The light illuminated his bright blue and green eyes. He had a pale complexion and his brown hair looked lighter in the sun. Even though he was twenty-eight, his face still looked like he had when he'd been twenty-one. He'd always looked younger for his age, so when his timer began at twenty-five he knew that was the face he'd be stuck with for as long as he had time to live. When he really didn't have time to take care of his appearance he'd let a small beard grow which made himappear a bit older. But he didn't have the time to groom it and take care of it, so he'd get rid of it after a couple of days.

He looked out the barred window for a moment before he hurried off to get dressed. When he stepped out into the kitchen/living room he found his dad stirring a spoon in his coffee mug.

"Hey dad," Kurt greeted as he walked over to get something from the pantry.

"You got in late last night, kiddo," Burt Hummel said, his voice full of disapproval and worry.

"I put in some overtime," Kurt replied taking out a plastic bag.

Burt turned to face him, "Where'd it go?"

"On you!" Kurt said with a smile as he held out a champagne bottle, it'd only cost him six hours, but it was worth it for his dad. "Happy 50th!"

Burt smiled as he took the bottle from him. "That's right."

Even though Burt was fifty he did not look it so, he looked like he had twenty-five years ago. He was the same height as Kurt, with darker brown hair. Except, Burt's face was more round, and his figure was more broad than Kurt's.

Kurt gave his dad a tight hug. He was the only family he had left, his mother having died when he was just eight. That was the problem with the timers. You run out of time, you die. Specially in the ghetto or Lima, one of the four poorest time districts. Everyday people died because they ran out of time or it got stolen. His father used to be a time fighter, but stopped after Kurt's mother died, still he had taught Kurt a thing or two.

"Well, twenty-five for the twenty-fifth time," Kurt said as he pulled away.

"You know, by this age I was sure I'd at least have a grandchild," Burt frowned.

Kurt let out a sigh and took a step back. Even though times were different and no one had time to care who you liked or slept with, Kurt hadn't yet told his dad that he wasn't into women.

"Oh, here we go," Kurt muttered turning his back on his dad.

"Mrs. Jones daughter, Mercedes, is always asking about you," Burt quickly said.

"Who has time for a girlfriend?" Kurt used the same excuse every time his father began to talk about him being single. “What do you got?" he asked changing the subject.

"Three days, not even," his dad replied glancing down at his timer. "We owe half of that in rent, eight in electric and we're still late on that loan."

Kurt watched his father go into his own room.

"I could make extra on the side, you know," Kurt said casually. "I could-"

"Try fighting?" Burt finished as he returned into the room with a coat in his hands. Burt met Kurt's gaze before he spoke. "No one wins."

"I know," Kurt answered looking down.

"I won't be back tonight," Burt went on. "I've got two days work in West Lima, meet me tomorrow night at the bus stop after I pay off the loan," he took a deep breath, "I won't have long."

"I'll be there," Kurt reassured him, reminding himself to go find Jacob for the two hours he owed him.

Burt placed his right hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Kurt, I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you."

Kurt looked at his dad and nodded. Truthfully, he didn't know what he'd do without his dad. Losing his mom had been hard, but walking everyday knowing that any moment he could lose his dad, he just couldn't bear the thought.

"I'm late," Kurt suddenly said as his eyes caught sight of the clock on the wall.

"Let me give you thirty minutes for a decent lunch," Burt said stopping him.

With a sigh, Kurt took his father's right hand on top of his and watched as thirty minutes passed over from his dad's timer to his. He now had one whole day, with a few minutes leftover.

"I love you," Kurt said leaning in to give his dad a kiss on the cheek like he did every morning whenever he left for work. "Happy Birthday, dad. When you get back we're going to celebrate."

Burt couldn't help but smile as he watched Kurt step out of the front door.

Kurt took the elevator down to the first floor, before exiting the building. The streets were alive with people moving. Those who hadn't turned twenty-five still had the luxury to lounge around doing nothing. But those who were already over had to find ways to find the time. Kurt was grateful his apartment building was merely two blocks away from the factory he worked in making TimeHolders.

"Kurt," he heard a child's voice as he walked quickly to the cafe stand a street away. He turned his head around and spotted the source. A small girl, no older than ten caught up to him.

"You got a minute?" she asked, her dark eyes looking into him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "You have a whole year."

Alice had become an orphan at the age of eight and since then had been taking care of herself. With no parents to take care of her she relied on the kindness of the people around her. She was always asking for minutes so she could buy food and clothes for herself. Kurt felt for her and always tried to help her when he could.

"Not a year I can use yet," she stated raising her arm and showing him her timer. On her small arm was a year stored for when she turned twenty-five. Until then she couldn't use the time she had for the moment.

"Come on, Kurt," she begged him.

Kurt looked down at her before extending his hand. Alice passed over her TimeHolder, a small metal gadget with a scanner which held time, to him.

"Here, have five minutes," he said as he put the scanner part on top of his timer and passing over five minutes. "Get out of here."

With a smile, Alice left him and he continued on his way. Glancing down at this time he realized he had to get a move on. He ran to the coffee stand, hoping to grab something quick before heading in for his shift at work. He spotted his best friend, Noah Puckerman or as he preferred "Puck" at the front of the line. Just as he neared him, he heard the tone signaling that the prices were changing again. He looked up at the screen board and sure enough, the prices for each item went up by a few seconds.

"Four minutes for a cup of coffee?" he asked as he stood next to Puck who looked tired.

"Yesterday it was three," Puck told the man behind the bullet-proof glass counter.

The man looked bored, "Do you want coffee or to reminisce?"

"Two coffees," Kurt ordered shaking his head. "How many shifts do you have today?" Kurt asked Puck as he scanned his arm through the metal register and paying for the coffees.

"Just two," Puck said grabbing his cup and quickly adding brandy to it from a flask he carried in his pocket. "Really excited," he added sarcastically to Kurt before taking a loud sip of his coffee.

That was the thing about Puck, he was a big drinker so half the time he was buzzed or hungover. Kurt didn't say anything as they made their way to the factory.

As they neared the entrance they saw two man fighting. Fighting for time was the modern version of hand wrestling. Except fighting could sometimes mean putting your life at risk. You only fought someone if you were had no choice or were seeking revenge. The main goal of fighting was to get your opponent to zero first. Those who sometimes did it for fun chose thirty seconds, but even then it was still a risk. Whoever got to the assigned time first won and majority of the times you kept your opponents times.

"If you have any of your father in you, you could make a fortune," Puck said to Kurt as they passed the two men. Puck was much older than Kurt, at least by five years, so he knew of the reputation Burt had as a fighter.

"I don't fight," Kurt stated, looking away from the men. Even though he had fought before when times were hard and he needed time badly, he never felt good about it afterward. Taking someone elses time for your own survival, it was still murder, even if it went unpunished majority of the time.

Kurt spotted one of the supervisor's standing at the front door of the factory and wondered why he was there. It wasn't until they were a few feet away that he saw a man lying on the floor dead. His timer was black with thirteen zero's in full display.

"Another one," Puck said as they were a feet away. "On broad daylight."

It wasn't uncommon for people to run out of time and just drop dead, but lately it was happening more and more. Kurt stopped as he stared at the body and then met the eyes of the supervisor. The supervisor looked at Kurt as if waiting for him to do something, but finally Kurt just went inside to his station.

He hated his job. Yet he knew it was either earning five minutes for each TimeHolder he finished or fighting. Those were your only options in the ghetto. And for him it was pull the lever which tightened the scanner unto the TimeHolder. Pull, release, and repeat.

At the end of his shift he went to make line to get paid for his week's work. From how many time collectors he'd made today he figured he'd earned at least twelve hours. The line was moving quickly and soon he was scanning his timer, waited for it to get his profile and then give him his time. He pulled his arm back when he heard the 'ding' and looked down at it. He stopped walking when he saw he'd only been paid eight hours.

"Whoa, whoa, what is this?" he asked taking a step back to look at the supervisor in charge of pay. "Where's the rest?"

The supervisor looked at him unfazed before replying, "You haven't met your quota."

_That's crazy_ , he thought. He'd put in more than he had to. "My units are up from last week."

"So has the quota," the supervisor simply said. "Next."

"That's a joke right?"

"Next."

"Move, you're taking forever," the man behind him said.

Kurt cast another dark glance at the supervisor before walking away. He hated these days. When taxes, prices and quotas all went up. It meant spending and working more which was already hard to as it was.

Since his father wasn't home, the apartment felt lonely as Kurt finished his late dinner and turned on the television. An hour later when he was beginning to get sleepy the phone rang. It was Puck's wife, Rachel, asking if he knew where he was. Sighing, Kurt told her he'd go look for him and to stay home with their newborn child.

Kurt had an idea of where Puck could be at this time. He left his apartment and headed four blocks down east near Puck's place. Across the street was a local bar. He could hear loud Spanish Latin music before he even opened the doors. Inside the bar it was packed with people in flashy outfits, all dancing, drinking, laughing and having a good time.

He passed a couple of women whom tried to get him to dance with them. There were a few tables scattered around with men sitting in them. He stopped at one, recognizing the players, a few guys younger than him who he used to go to school with.

"You in, Kurt?" one of them asked causing a curly haired boy with a fro to look at him.

Kurt noticed they were playing poker, his favorite gambling game from which he used to play a lot before he turned twenty-five. "I don't have time to gamble anymore." 

"Well thank God," the boy with the a fro, Jacob, spoke. "Ever since you stopped playing, I started winning," he explained as he set down his winning cards. 

"You still owe me two hours," Kurt said seriously as he reached out for Jacob's hand with his and took his time. Jacob didn't argue seeing as he just had won his game. "You seen Puck?" he asked the group as the time passed to him. One of the guys pointed to the bar and Kurt let go of Jacob's hand. 

Puck was near the back of the bar, and as Kurt walked to him he couldn't help, but notice a very well dressed man, with wavy hair and two women practically sitting on his lap. The man had a wide smile as the girls gushed over him. That man was definitely not from Lima, Kurt was sure of that.

"Kurt," Puck called him over. 

"Hey," Kurt said placing his hand on his shoulder. "Your wife is looking for you."

Puck ignored him and slid his arm around Kurt's shoulder instead. He pointed at the rich man as he tried to not fall off his seat. "This mad man has been buying drinks all night! He's got a century," Puck nearly yelled over the loud music.

Kurt stared at the man, in his tailored suit, smiling at the girls at his side. That's when he saw him, a minute man, staring at the rich guy. Kurt turned his attention away from him back to Puck, "Come on, let me get you home." 

Puck turned to the bar, where a new drink sat in front of him. "As soon as I finish this drink," he said picking up the glass. 

"Hey you," the rich guy suddenly called out to the bartender. And that's when he saw that what Puck had said about the guy having a century was true. He'd pulled up his sleeve to show off his timer. This could not end well, Kurt thought. You could get killed for even having more than a weeks worth around here. This guy seemed to be asking for a death wish. "More of everything!" 

Kurt's eyes went back to to the minute man whom he saw hanging up his phone and staring hungrily at the century on the man's arm. Kurt left Puck and walked over to the man, overhearing one of the girls tell him he could take her home if he wanted. 

"Excuse me," he said to the blonde one and pushing himself in between the two. "You need to get outta hear," he said leaning in towards the man. "Somebody is going to clean that clock." 

"Yes," the man said nodding before looking away. 

"I mean, they aren't going to rob you, they are going to kill you. They can't take that much time and let you live to tell about it." 

"Yes," the man repeated. 

"I don't think you understand," Kurt said now frustrated by the fact that this man wasn't taking him serious. "You should not be here!" 

He had barely finished his sentence when the doors swung open, a group of four men entering. The music immediately stopped and as the men walked inside everyone in the room began to leave quickly. Some left through the front and others through the back. Even the women who had been fawning over the rich guy left. Everyone knew minute men were dangerous. They robbed you, took away most of your time, if not all. 

The rich guy sat frozen on his seat. The bar emptied quickly and Kurt could hear Puck calling him. 

Kurt saw the ringleader, Dave Karofsky, stop a pretty blonde girl by the arm and kiss her. He knew Dave and his minute men, he'd run into them shortly after he turned twenty-five. He'd been lucky he'd only had four hours then and Karofsky had only taken two hours from him, warning him to be careful next time. 

"Minute men," Puck said, "Minute men. Come on, walk away." Kurt let himself be pulled away as Puck continued, "Those guys aren't playing around."

"Wait, wait," Kurt said hurriedly as he stopped when they reached the back. He didn't know why, but he just knew he couldn't leave the rich guy to be killed. When he turned around to look back the rich guy was now standing up in front of the five men. 

"He's asking for it," Puck argued. "Let's go, come on. He's not one of us. You think he'd help us? 

Kurt turned his gaze from the scene to Puck. "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. Go," he whispered. 

Puck stared at him as if he was crazy before leaving. Kurt remained hidden in the back, watching as Dave took out a gun and placed it down on the table.

"Name's Karofsky," he told the rich guy. "And that is a very nice watch." The rich guy looked down at his revealed timer. "Do you mind if I try it on?" Karofsky asked. "I think it would suit me." When the man said nothing, Karofsky began to take off his coat. "I'll tell you what, I'll fight you for it." The man remained quiet. "Come on, I'm an old man. I turned seventy-five last week." 

The man took a few steps forward before Kurt barely heard him say, "I need a moment." 

Kurt realized he was heading to the bathrooms in the back when he moved further down the hall, hiding in the shadows. One of Karofsky's minute man had stationed himself at the front entrance of the bathroom and Kurt saw the rich man stumble inside quickly. The minute man followed the rich guy inside and Kurt knew this was his opportunity to get him out of there.

Keeping in the shadows he slipped inside the bathroom before pushing himself against the half-open door and heard it came in contact with a body. He opened the door and found the minute man lying on the floor and the rich guy kneeling by the toilet. 

"Let's get you out of here," he said grabbing the man by the arm and pulling him out of the bathroom. He knew Karofsky and his gang had seen them as they passed on their way out from the light coming from the bathroom. He also knew he was taking an immense risk at saving this guy's life. It probably had to do with the fact that this man had a century's life worth. Or maybe because he hated minute men. They robbed people who worked so hard for their time. There was no way he was going to let Karofsky and his men get this century so easily even if this rich guy hadn't listened to him earlier. 

As he pushed the man out the back door and closed it the man spoke, "Stop! What are you doing? I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, I can see that," Kurt said back as he pushed a big trash can in front of the door. Instantly there were bangs coming from the other side. 

The man looked at him, "I know what I'm doing." 

"Run!" Kurt ignored him and pulled him down the alley, towards the back street, running as fast as he could. 

They were running down an open street, with nowhere for them to hide. A few moments later he heard the engine of a car and saw lights on them. Damn, they were being followed. Kurt continued running, not letting go of the other man. He could die on his own later, but not right now. The car was gaining on them when Kurt saw a metal fence. 

"Here," he said throwing the man to it. "Hurry!" 

He helped lift him up and watched him fall to the other side. He'd always been agile and swift, so with a leap he also climbed the fence. He landed on the other side as the car came to a stop with a loud screech behind him. 

"Move!" 

He continued moving, pulling the other man in the direction of where he was going. He found a crow bar on the floor and picked it up. They reached another open street and could hear the car just around the corner. He suddenly saw a door next to a garage door, with a chain and lock. Using the crow bar he busted the lock and unchained the door. 

"Where the hell are you going?" he hissed as he reached out for the man who had began walking away. "Get in there," he said pushing the man inside and getting in as well.

He threw the crowbar away and pushed the metal chain out an open hole through the lock on the door before pulling on it and keeping the door shut. A second later the loud screech of a car stopping nearby was heard. 

Kurt pressed himself against the door knowing there was a chance that they could be found. He heard the minute man, their heavy footsteps before he began hearing other garage doors being banged on. 

He knew if they banged on the one he was in they would be found. His dad was going to be waiting for him tomorrow and he'd never be there.

He heard someone kick a door nearby before pulling on the door of the chain he was holding. The door moved a little so the other person on the other side kicked it. Kurt held on to the chain tightly, not letting go. The other person kicked again before giving up and moving away. Kurt let go of the chain softly, took the other man's arm and pulled him inside the building. They found a set of stairs and quickly began climbing them to the third floor where a big open space was with a few broken chairs and some sofas. 

He pushed the man on a hard sofa, the man wheezing as he tried to regain his breath. Kurt continued walking over to the big windows, peering out of the broken one out into the street. It was empty. 

"Dammit, dammit," he muttered as he began to pace. He turned when he heard the other man chuckle. "What the hell are you doing here? Flashing all that? You outta your mind?" 

The man sat up and looked at him. "Jesse St. James." 

Kurt said nothing back, watching Jesse take out a flask of alcohol and drink from it. "Kurt Hummel." 

Jesse nodded before holding the flask out to him. He took it reluctantly before taking a swig. He made a face as he felt the liquor burn his throat. He let out a small cough, "God." 

"Drink more, it gets better," Jesse said calmly. 

He didn't know why he was listening to him, but did as he said. This time it burned even more. "Oh, not much better," he said giving it back to Jesse. 

Kurt heard a car's engine and walked back to the window. The car was circling the area, that's why he hadn't seen it earlier. "You'll be safe til the morning; I'll get you out of here." He paused before asking something he already knew the answer to, "You're from New Greenich?" 

Jesse grinned before nodding. "Does it show?" 

New Greenich was one of the few rich time districts in the country. Only those who had decades, like Jesse, lived in New Greenich. 

"Nah," Kurt said mockingly shaking his head, before uncovering his timer and looking down at it. He had less than nineteen hours on his timer. 

"Looks like you could use some help yourself," Jesse said who was looking at him. 

"No thanks," Kurt said curtly. He hadn't saved this guy's life for time, ridiculous as that might sound. 

"Hold old are you?" Jesse asked. "In real time."

"Twenty-eight." 

"I'm a hundred and five," Jesse whispered. 

"Good for you," Kurt said unimpressed. "You won't be a hundred and six if you have more nights like tonight." 

"You were right," Jesse suddenly said. "The day comes when you've had enough. Your mind can be spent even if your body is not." 

Kurt felt himself get angry. This man had all the time he could want and he was upset? Kurt couldn't help but to think to those days when he and his dad barely had less than six hours put together. 

"We want to die," Jesse confessed. "We need to." 

Kurt narrowed his eyes at him as he walked to the big chair across from where Jesse was sitting. "That's your problem? You've been alive too long?" his voice rising, not caring about the minute men waiting outside anymore. 

Jesse stared up at him before looking down. 

"You ever know anyone who has died?" Kurt asked. When Jesse simply looked at him again with empty eyes, Kurt turned around before taking a seat. 

"For a few to be immortal many must die," Jesse muttered, but Kurt made out the words. 

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? 

"You really don't know, do you?" Jesse asked, looking at him like he was a kid. And he figured that to Jesse he was just a kid. "Everyone can't live forever, where would we put them? Why do you think there are time zones? Why do you think taxes and prices go up the same day in the ghetto? The cost of living keeps rising to make sure people keep dying. How else could there be men with a million years almost from day to day?" They looked at one another before he continued. "The truth is, there's more than enough. No one has to die before their time." 

Kurt looked at Jesse for a moment before looking away. If that were true then his mother would still be alive. She wouldn't be dead right now. 

Jesse spoke again. "If you had as much time as I have on that clock, what would you do with it? 

Kurt reached down and lifted up his sleeve, glancing down at his timer. "I'd stop watching it," he admitted. Jesse seemed to pity him for a moment which brought back his anger. "I can tell you one thing," his voice more firm, "If I had all that time, I sure as hell wouldn't waste it." 

Jesse nodded at him as if he understood what he meant. Kurt knew he didn't. Jesse probably never had to worry where he would get more time from. Or that he was running on just a few hours and needed more time soon. 

"Get some rest," he said softly. Jesse glanced down at his timer. "Don't worry I won't take it in the night." 

"That would take years," Jesse said with a smile. 

Jesse passed him over the flask again and he took another sip. A big sip, now enjoying the way the liquor felt in his mouth. "Wow, it does get better." 

He gave Jesse the flask back who drank the remainder. Suddenly, he felt really tired. All that running and the liquor had worn him down. He leaned back against the big chair and closed his eyes. He hoped Jesse would fall asleep so they could leave early tomorrow. 

* * *

 

Jesse did not go to sleep that night. He laid on the couch, thinking the whole time before making up his decision. He'd come to Lima to find death and if it hadn't been for Kurt he would have gotten it last night. Now his mind was more set than ever. The sun had been shining outside for two hours already, when he looked over to where Kurt sat, sleeping quietly. He looked like he really was worn out. And if what he assumed was true then he knew why. Kurt was living each day just hoping to be able to live the next.

He was a survivor. 

Getting up quietly from the couch he walked over to Kurt's right side. Kurt would appreciate all this time so much more than him. You didn't always have to link and hold hands to pass time, as long as your wrists touched the time would transfer. Gently, his left wrist made contact with Kurt's. He looked down at his timer and watched his time pass over to Kurt. He broke the connection when he had five minutes left. That should be enough, he thought before he walked over to the windows covered in dust. With the tip of his finger he wrote out a message for Kurt. As he left the room, he only regretted not having found Kurt sooner.

* * *

 

Kurt woke up with a jolt and looked over to the empty sofa. Where was Jesse?

He blinked a few times before looking down at his arm. When he pulled up his sleeve he could not believe what he saw. His timer read: **0116•39•4•04•26•11**. (Years, Weeks, Days, Hours, Minutes, Seconds)

So much time. But it wasn't his, this was Jesse's time and where was he? He looked around the room, when the dusty window caught his attention. He walked over it to it and read ' _Don't waste my time_ '.

Stunned, he looked out the window to where the bridge leading out of Lima was. And in it, he could see someone, not just someone, but Jesse. No, his brain screamed before a moment later he was running out of the building as fast as he could.

* * *

Jesse had reached the bridge with a minute to spare. He looked around and noticed the area was empty. Even if there were people he doubted anyone would stop him. He got on top of the thick cement railing. He didn't know what was going to happen; how he would die. He didn't know anyone who had died. His family was rich; he knew all of his grandparents and great-grandparents. 

He never thought that there were other places, like the ghetto, that didn't have so much time. It wasn't until he started working with his family that he slowly began to learn about the ghettos and the taxes. How they were all purposely raised, so that people would die. It was a horrible truth, but the rich controlled the population of the poor districts. Even though he tried to live without caring, it was hard. 

He'd been alive for so long, he was tired of living if he was honest. But how do you die when you still have a century left on your timer? He knew he couldn't die in New Greenich, he wouldn't be allowed. So he left and came to Lima instead. He'd almost died, but Kurt had saved him. He'd been angry at him at first, but now he was relieved. He had told someone of what was going on New Greenich. Maybe Kurt could change things... so that no one had to die before their time was up. So that there weren't men out there, like his father who had been alive for two centuries already. 

Jesse knew that any second his time would run out and then he felt it, a small pain in his heart before everything went black.

* * *

Kurt didn't stop running until he reached the middle of the bridge, where he'd seen Jesse, but he wasn't there anymore. He stopped, catching his breath and leaning over the barrier he looked down. He had an idea of who was down there, but it was still something he did not want to see. Jesse was lying on his chest at a weird angle, a small stream of water running through him. 

Taking a deep breath, Kurt looked down at his feet. He'd tried to save him, but Jesse had his mind made up. Suddenly, panic began to build up inside. He had to leave the ghetto, he couldn't be there with so much time on his hands. It was a good thing his father was coming back tonight, then they could both leave and go to Westerville, one of the middle-class districts or maybe even New Greenich.

Without missing a beat, he ran back towards the city. He wasn't really thinking of where to go, but figured he'd go see Puck and let him know he was alive. When he reached the second floor of the apartment building Puck lived in he found Rachel outside with their baby boy. 

"Hey, Kurt," she greeted him with a big smile. 

"Rachel," he said leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Is Puck in?" 

"Yeah,” she replied before she called out for Puck. She continued to cradle the baby before reaching for his arm. "Look at that. Shame we have to wait twenty-five years, we could use that year right now." 

Kurt looked at her wanting to just hand over five years of his. 

"Puck!" she called out again and a moment later Puck stepped out putting on a shirt. 

"I'm here," he said wrapping his arms around her. 

Kurt gave him a look, avoiding Rachel's gaze and Puck caught on before nodding. 

"Better get him inside," Puck said to Rachel, meeting her eyes. 

Rachel looked at them both before nodding and going inside. Kurt didn't say anything as he began to head towards the stairs and walking down. Puck followed him without saying anything, too. Kurt looked around when they reached the first floor, making sure no one was watching. 

"Look at this," he said in a low voice before pulling up his sleeve and showing his timer to Puck. 

"Where did you get that?" Puck asked surprised. 

"Guy at the bar," Kurt said beginning to walk. "They were going to kill him. He gave it to me. He timed himself out before I could stop him." 

"No one gives anybody a hundred years," Puck stated as he walked next to him. 

"He didn't just give me this. He told me the truth about it," Kurt said seriously. 

"You can't let anyone see it," Puck told him his voice showing concern. "You know that time is going to get you killed." 

Kurt nodded, he knew that, before looking away. Slowly he turned to face Puck who still had the same expression before smiling. "How long have we been friends?" 

Puck looked at him dumfounded before answering, "Ten years?" 

Kurt reached out for Puck's left arm, putting both of his hands on it. "Here." 

When he pulled his hands back, Puck lifted up the sleeve of his shirt and looked at his timer. Ten years with twelve hours. 

"A decade," Puck breathed out. 

Kurt nodded, feeling his eyes water for a moment. He took a deep breath before placing his hand on Puck's shoulder. "You've been like a brother. It's the least I can do." 

As always, Puck caught on quickly, before asking his voice hoarse, "Where are you going?" 

"There's only one place," he said breathing out before smiling. "I finally have the time I need to take my dad to New Greenich." 

Puck seemed to want to say something, but simply nodded. Kurt looked at him before they both embraced each other in a hug. Kurt stepped back, giving him one more look before walking away. 

* * *

That night after receiving pay for his work, Burt reached "Anderson Timelenders," the loan agency he'd borrowed money from. It was already nine in the night so the building was closed. Still, they had a twenty-four hours automated teller machine from which he could make his payment. He placed his right arm on the scanner, waited for the machine to pull up his profile before collecting the two days payment. 

"Loan payment received, two days," the machine said and Burt walked away. 

He headed to where the bus stop was, which arrived shortly afterward. He let a few women go in front of him before he stepped in. "Lima," he told the bus driver moving his arm to the scanner to pay. 

"Two hours," the bus told him. 

His hand had barely come in contact with the scanner when he pulled it back. The driver gave him a look. 

"It's always been one hour," Burt said trying to keep his voice from shaking. 

"Well, now it's two, price went up," the driver explained. 

"Since when?" Burt asked. 

"Today." 

Burt was trying hard no to panic. He didn't have enough time to pay and make it to Lima. "My son is meeting me," he told the driver, "He can pay the difference." 

The driver shook his head. "Can't do that. Policy."

Burt now gave the driver a worried look. "Please. It's a two hour walk." He lifted up his sleeve, looking down at his timer. "I have an hour and a half."

The driver looked away. "Then you better run," he finally said, not meeting his eyes. 

Burt gasped before looking at everyone else on the bus. Everyone avoided his gaze, acting as if they hadn't heard anything. No one willing to lend over some time. Burt gave them one final looking before stepping off the bus. The driver closed the door and pulled away. He looked around for anyone, but the place was empty. He had no choice, but to begin running after the bus. 

He'd been running for more than an hour when he heard a car behind him. He turned around and yelled, "Stop! Please, stop!"

The car ignored him and sped up. He was close to the bus stop in Lima, but he doubted he'd make it there alive. He looked down at his arm. Twenty-two minutes left. Taking another deep breath he continued running.

* * *

 

Kurt arrived at the bus stop early. He'd dressed in his best clothes. He could not wait to surprise his father. He waited on a bench when he saw the bus turn the corner. He stood up watching the bus pull in front of him before it came to a stop. Four people got off, but none of them were his dad. 

Eyebrows furrowed he leaned in to the window to look at the people inside. His dad wasn't on the bus. The bus driver noticing Kurt wasn't going to get in pulled the bus away. 

Where was his dad? 

He looked at the back of the bus before he began to jog in the direction from which it had come from.

* * *

 

As Burt rounded the corner he saw a man opening up the door to his apartment building. "Please, sir," he called out running to him. The man looked at him before stepping in and closing the door. "No, please help me!"

He stopped at the door and watched the man running down the hallway. No, he thought as he looked down at his timer again. He was down to less than nine minutes.

* * *

Kurt had been running for ten minutes when he saw someone turn the corner. The man was running fast.

His heart started beating fast against his chest as he quickened his pace and called out, "Dad?" 

"Kurt!" his dad yelled back alarmed. 

Run faster, Kurt yelled at his body. He was still thirty feet away and by the way his voice's dad sounded he didn't have much time left. 

"Kurt!" his dad called as he continued running to him. "Kurt!" 

"Dad!" Kurt yelled back, they were so close, just fifteen feet away. 

When he was about eight feet away Kurt extended his hand out to his dad. They'd reached a streetlight, and from the light he could see his dad smiling at him. 

He could make it. He was going to make it.

Just as his dad was two feet away he saw him gasp and fall, but Kurt caught his dad in his arms. His dad didn't move as he held him. 

"No," Kurt said as tears began to fall from his face. This wasn't happening. "No, dad." 

He slid down to the ground so he could take his dad's right arm. The timer which was normally green was now black and full of zeros. 

"No!" he wept as he looked at the zeros. 

They were so close and he had so much time now. Just a few more seconds, that's all his father had needed. Just a few more seconds and he wouldn't be here in the middle of the street holding his father's dead body. Kurt continued crying as he buried his face in his father's chest. He was gone. He wasn't coming back. His body shook as he looked into his father's face again. He wasn't going to be taking him to Westerville or New Greenich anymore.

Kurt didn't let go of his dad until he'd stop crying which had been a few hours later. He knew the Takers would be coming for his dad any moment now. Takers worked for the government which kept track of the timers. They knew when someone ran out of time and the Takers would pick up the bodies. Kurt didn't know what they did with the bodies, though, if they got buried or burned or what. 

Half an hour later a big black van arrived. They looked at Kurt before looking down at Burt. There were two Takers, neither spoke or paid attention to Kurt as they moved toward Burt. Kurt watched the two man put Burt in the back of the van before closing it. They both got in the front, except for one of them who turned back and gave Kurt a sad look. He recognized him, Finn, a guy he'd gone to school with. Kurt simply looked at him before walking away. 

Kurt went back to his apartment, closing the door behind him before looking around the small place. His eyes burned as he held back tears before he made his ways to his dad's room. Inside was a queen sized bed, with a dresser on the left wall. He walked slowly to the closet and looked at the few clothes his dad had owned. His attention went to the two boxes at the back and he pulled one of them out. He opened it, looked down at the dresses and blouses that were in there. He pulled out a cream one before sighing and pressing it to his nose. Woman perfume lingered on it and for a moment he could feel his mom with him. 

The tears he'd been holding quickly fell. He'd never felt so alone. When his mother had run out of time he'd been devastated, but he still had his dad with him. Now though, he really was alone. He couldn't go to Puck. Puck had his own family to take care of. 

_"The truth is, there's more than enough. No one has to die before their time."_  

Jesse's words haunted him. He put away his mother's clothes and pushed the box back inside the closet. He left his deceased parent's room and walked out into the living room. His father could still be alive if it weren't for those rich folk in New Greenich holding all the time in their hands. 

That night, when he was going to sleep, he knew what he had to do. 

* * *

 

Sebastian Smythe, head of the Timekeepers department, drove out to Lima early morning. He'd been there before, but this time it was for a different reason. This time he was on Timekeeper affairs. He drove into the man-made river, spotting a couple of Timekeeper cars already there.

He pulled up in front of a group of men, two of them were pulling a dead body out of the small stream. They walked away when they saw him step out. 

He looked at Nick Benson and Jeff Lynch, two of the best the department had and the reason why he'd requested them to work with him on the case. Nick leaned down to pick up the man's right arm and look at it. 

"Thirteen zeros," Nick confirmed before looking up. 

"What an unlucky fella," Sebastian said walking past him and placing his hands behind his back. 

"The last time anyone saw him alive there was a century on that clock," Nick informed him. 

He turned to face him before speaking. "Well around here they kill you for a week." 

"What was he doing in this time zone?" Jeff asked looking down at St. James' body. 

Nick and Sebastian circled the body, before Nick said, "What I was thinking is that he might have brought this on himself." 

"Interesting," Sebastian said before looking at him. "How long have you been keeping time here, Nick?" 

"Five years," Nick responded with a shrug. 

"Let me know what you think when you've been doing it for fifty," Sebastian said. Nick didn't say anything so he continued, "It doesn't matter why he came here, what matters are the hundred years that came with him." 

"There's gotta be a witness," Nick suggested. 

"Trust me, no one saw anything." 

Jeff finally looked away from the body and faced him, "What would you like us to do, sir?"

"What we always do, follow the time," he said turning his back on them and heading back to his car. 

"Hey Seb," a female voice called from the other side of the stream. She was wearing high-heeled boots, stockings, and a very revealing dress. "I'll give you ten minutes for an hour." 

Sebastian turned to face her as he opened the door of his car. "When are you going to get out of the game, Santana?" he asked. "You'll be pushing sixty soon," he added with a wink. 

"Thanks for letting everyone know," Santana answered sarcastically. 

He grinned at her before looking up at the bridge a few feet away and that's when he saw a camera there. _Bingo_ , he thought before calling Jeff over. 

* * *

"Thank you," Kurt said hanging up the phone. 

An hour later he stepped out of his room wearing the same suit he'd worn when he'd graduated from high school. It fit him better now than it had back then. Maybe since he'd begun working out afterward at his father's suggestion. He looked around his apartment one more time before heading out. He was leaving and never coming back. There was no more reason for him to stay there. 

He walked outside his building and tried to look casual as he stood in the corner waiting for his ride out of Lima. Ten minutes later a black limousine pulled up across from him. He walked over to where the driver was with all the windows rolled up. 

The driver spoke through an intercom, "Am I in the right place?" 

Kurt looked around before pulling up his sleeve and showing him his timer. The driver looked at it before nodding. He unlocked the back door from inside and it opened itself. Kurt walked to it and with one last look at Lima he got in. The driver immediately pulled away, heading towards the border of the city. 

"We don't normally do pick-ups in this zone," the driver informed him. 

"I was lost," Kurt said in a monotone voice. 

A few moments later the driver paused as they reached the check-out point of the city. Another way for the government to keep track of people. The reason so many people lived segregated was because in order to leave or move to another time zone you had to pay at the check-out points. 

The TimeHolder inside the car automatically synced itself to the check-out point before stating, "Please deposit one month." 

Kurt looked at the driver before putting his right wrist into the scanner. He watched as four weeks were taken away. And so it went, Kurt paying a month at each check-out point until they reached timezone eight, he paid two months there instead of one. And as the timezone's followed the more the price went up. 

At timezone number four, Kurt simply paid without waiting to hear the price. He looked down at his hand afterward. "That was a year," he said surprised looking up front. 

"Welcome to New Greenich," the driver said turning his head to right briefly. "What are you really doing here?" 

Kurt stared straight ahead quietly. 

"I'm gonna take them for everything they've got," he said to the driver before adding to himself, "I'm gonna make them pay." 

New Greenich was perfect in Kurt's opinion. Tall skyscrapers. Clean streets. Everyone dressed in fancy clothing. Everything about New Greenich screamed out rich and wealthy. 

The driver took him to the third tallest skyscraper. "Best hotel in New Greenich," he said with a smirk. 

Kurt didn't say anything as he paid him and got out of the limousine. All the men around him were wearing expensive suits, like the one Jesse had been wearing. His looked shabby compared to their shiny ones. All the women wore fitted dresses and walked with men in black suits behind them. He noticed that the men did too. 

The driver had left him a few feet away from the entrance so Kurt began to jog towards the entrance before stopping. _You have time_ , he told himself. Needing reassurance he looked down at his timer. He still had over a century left. He looked up and walked at a normal pace towards the front door. He looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Everyone kept going about their business, except for one man. 

He was standing at the door of his limousine looking at him. His hazel eyes seemed to shine, as they followed Kurt's gaze. He was wearing gray dressing pants, a striped cardigan from which he could see a white sleeved shirt underneath, and a dark gray bow tie. Kurt only broke the gaze to face the hotel doors and open them. When he looked back the man was still looking at him until a taller man, holding the door for him with an earpiece, leaned in and said something. He said something back before getting inside the limousine. Even through the tinted windows Kurt could feel the man's gaze so he stepped inside the hotel.

Kurt looked outside through the glass walls and saw the limousine drive away. He walked to the front counter where a man and women were standing behind it. 

"What does a night here cost?" he asked hoping he didn't sound nervous. 

"Two months," the man said, "for a standard room." 

Kurt looked around him then at the all the people dressed in their expensive clothes before turning back, holding out his wrist and declaring, "Give me a suite." 

The man and woman glanced at each other, before the man nodded. The women began to type away at the computer in front of her and the man took out a TimeHolder. He placed it on Kurt's wrist and collected eleven months. The woman passed him over a key, before the man spoke, "Would you like some help with your bags?"

Kurt shook his head. Did being rich make you dumb? he asked himself. Didn't the man see he didn't have any with him? 

"No," he said giving him a look and walking in the direction of the elevators. 

* * *

Outside of New Greenich, Sebastian and his team sat in a desk looking at the laptop with the recovered footage from the camera at the bridge. They saw a man reach the bridge, look down, stay a moment before looking at the camera and then run away. That had to be who they were looking for, Sebastian was sure of it. 

"He's fast," Nick stated. 

"He's going to have to be," Sebastian said before standing up and glancing at the screen board that showed how much each time a zone had per capita. Time zone twelve remained at less than two years and a half. 

"Too bad the camera doesn't show how the body got into the river," Jeff said from next to Nick. 

"What do we really know?" asked Nick. 

"What do we know?" Sebastian asked back before answering, "We know that most thefts in Lima amount to hours or days. But this was a century." He turned to another screen that showed a map of the country with lines, each keeping track of large amounts of time. "I don't see anymore in circulation."

"He could have capsuled the time," Jeff said referring to the TimeHolders.

Sebastian shook his head. "You can't hide a hundred years in the ghetto. I can sense when a man has a month's more than he should." Then it hit him. "That's why he left town," he said out loud to himself.

Without another word he left Nick and Jeff and went to his office. He was going to find that man and he was going to take away the time he'd stolen from St. James. No man from timezone twelve deserved that much time.


	2. Chapter 2

Kurt spent most of his day in his suite just taking in everything. The suite was three times the size his apartment had been back in Lima and he had an incredible view of New Greenich. The fact that everything was much bigger in this place made him feel lonelier. He stood in the middle of his room unsure of what to do. What did the people of New Greenich do if they weren't worrying about how much time they had left?

When he ordered room service, just a simple meal the total came out to nine weeks which made him realize he'd have to find a way to get more time if he wanted to continue living here. Everything was more expensive in New Greenich and even though he still had over a century left he knew eventually he'd spend most of it.

He went to sleep in the king size bed and didn't wake up until late morning the next day. He opened his eyes slowly, forgetting where he was before everything came flooding back. On instinct he looked down at his arm and saw he still had a little over a hundred and five years left.

 _Stop worrying_ , he told himself, _you have time_. With that he closed his eyes and let his head fall back into the soft pillow again. A moment later he got up and got dressed in the same clothes he'd worn the day before, except without the suit coat. He decided it was time he explored New Greenich and find how the rich spent the vast amount of time they had.

He took the elevator to the first floor and found the dining room. The waiter, a handsome blonde man, whose name tag read 'Sam' took him to a table for two on the left side of the dining area. He felt somewhat out place as he noticed no other guest was sitting alone. Well there were two others sitting alone, but standing next to their tables were security guards.

He suddenly thought about the man he'd seen the day before, the one with the hazel eyes. He knew it was foolish to think of him as he'd most likely never see him again. New Greenich wasn't that big though, so there was a small chance he could run into him again.

"Will that be all?" Sam asked him after taking his order.

Kurt looked at him, their gaze lingering for a moment before he nodded.

"I'll be back with your order soon, then," Sam said before giving him a smile and walking away.

Kurt couldn't help himself, but check him out as he walked away and had to admit that the uniform definitely showed off Sam's assets.

Ten minutes later Sam came back with his plate, set it down and said, "Let me know if you, uh, need anything else."

Kurt nodded again and watched Sam leave. He wasn't sure if it was because he was hungry or just a habit, but he immediately ate his food. He was so focused in finishing his breakfast that he didn't notice the man from yesterday walk by him outside and sit at a table a few feet away.

Sam returned fifteen minutes later with the check. "That will be eight and a half weeks," he said looking down at the receipt.

Kurt looked him, before wiping his hands on the table napkin he had on his legs. Gulping down the food he had in his mouth, he held out his wrist to Sam. "Take a week for yourself."

"Thanks," Sam said with a small smile and reaching for his hand. He had a soft grip on his hand as he placed the TimeHolder on top of his wrist and took nine weeks and a half. Sam let go of his hand slowly before looking around and leaning in, "You're not from around here?" Kurt froze; was it that noticeable? "Are you?"

Kurt gave him a slight nod, somewhat relaxing when he realized Sam wasn't going to boot him out of the hotel or report him.

"You do everything a little too fast," Sam whispered nervously leaning in again.

Kurt met his eyes before saying, "Not everything."

He saw Sam blush and look down, so he changed the subject. "What's that place across the street?" he asked pointing in the opposite direction.

Sam looked in the direction he was pointing at. "The casino."

"Can anybody go?"

Sam frowned a little before smiling, "Not dressed like that."

Kurt looked down at his clothes before nodding.

"Good luck," Sam said before walking away.

Kurt stared at him before finishing his drink and getting up. _Well then,_ he thought, _I guess I need to go shopping._

* * *

Sebastian had just gotten a call from the Registration office saying they'd identified the person from the video, when Nick and Jeff came up to him. He motioned for them to follow him.

"Sir, you were right," Nick said out of breath.

Of course he had been, Sebastian thought not saying anything.

"If you turn back the clock on the day of St. James' death at the time check out points someone spent years crossing eight different time zones from Lima to-"

"New Greenich," Sebastian finished. He knew all of this already. "Camera's picked up on his suspicious behavior. He's conscious of the surveillance, he doesn't have a body guard and he runs."

"But if he has time he doesn't need to run," Nick mused.

"It's a hard habit to break," said as they reached the Registration office and found Quinn waiting for them at her desk.

"You're looking for a match?" Jeff asked.

Quinn ignored him and brought up the video on the screen. A small box formed itself around the man's face before a head shot of him came up. When you turned twenty-five you had to register and have your photo taken. It was how they identified bodies and notified the family, if there was any left.

Sebastian looked at the profile picture in front of him.

"His name is Kurt Hummel," Quinn informed him.

He stared hard at the picture recognizing the last name.

"Do you know him?" Nick asked who was looking at him instead of Kurt's picture.

Jeff faced him now, too. He shook his head, "No. I remember his mother."

Quinn raised a left eyebrow before turning back to face the screen.

"Keep track of him, he's in New Greenich," Sebastian told her before facing the other two. "We'll find him."

* * *

The rest of the day, Kurt spent it at 'Piacci Uomo' getting suits tailored to his exact measurements. He bought a simple black one, just for casual use as the tailor put it, and another one for more a more formal setting.

After that he went back to the hotel for a light dinner, hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of Sam again, but he wasn't there anymore. He ate his dinner at what he hoped was a normal pace before going back to his suite. He showered, dressed and styled his hair. He liked the drying machine in the bathroom that instantly dried your hair in seconds. He applied a small amount of hairspray to give it a bit of a poof.

Finally, when he felt was an appropriate time he left the hotel and walked across the street to the most glamorous building he'd seen. It looked better in the night, shining in bright lights, giving it the appearance of an old palace. Limousines and expensive sport cars surrounded the place. Kurt hoped no one minded him as he just walked in through the gate and walked up to the front. He fell behind a couple, who didn't have bodyguards and followed them inside. The place was beautiful inside. Shiny chandeliers, burgundy and gold tapestries, and marble columns everywhere.

He watched the couple in front of him be greeted by the casino host. He watched the man nod and let them in. This was going to be easier than he thought as he got near. The man looked at him before stepping behind the wooden podium and standing in his way.

"Good evening," he said putting his hand up.

Kurt took a moment to look at his name tag, Mike C. He eyed him up before saying, "I assume my time is as good as anyone's."

"Indeed, it is," Mike said calmly, a TimeHolder on his hand, "however, there is a voluntary donation for non-members." Kurt stared at him. "Most give a year."

Kurt said nothing as he held up his wrist and the host put the TimeHolder on top. A moment later he removed it before smiling. "What's your game?"

Kurt looked around the room, taking a deep breath. "Poker."

Mike motioned to a set of stairs a few feet away. "Right this way."

He led him up the stairs, to the second floor where there were four tables with people playing poker.

"What's the limit?" he asked.

Mike smiled before replying, "There is none." With that he left Kurt the foot of the stairs and went back to his place in the front.

Kurt didn't how what to do next, but fortunately another host greeted him and led him to a table where there was an opening. He won that game raising his time to four hundred years. The two other players decided to change games and left.

"We have another opening if you'd like to continue playing, sir," the host said to him.

"Of course," Kurt said and he was led to a table near the stairs.

There were four security guards standing at the back of the table and three men seated, not counting the dealer. The dealer motioned for him to sit down and place his bet. Everyone else had already placed theirs, so Kurt bet one hundred and fifty years bringing the total to six hundred years. So the game began. Twenty minutes later, only Kurt and the man sitting across from him remained in the game.

They played in silence until the other man spoke, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of your company, Mr...?"

"Hummel," Kurt introduced himself to the man. "Kurt Hummel."

"Bill Anderson," replied the other man.

Kurt nodded, knowing he recognized the name from somewhere, but couldn't place it at the moment.

"You must come from time," Mr. Anderson said pointing at his right arm.

The sleeve on his suit was short for easier accessibility to one's timer, so his timer was currently in full display. Kurt glanced down at the two hundred and fifty years he had left, before giving him a small smile.

"You could say I'm gambling my inheritance," he said before reaching for his drink.

Mr. Anderson looked at him before asking concerned, "You don't have a guard, Mr. Hummel?"

The other two men at the table and the dealer looked at him. He looked at each one of them before turning to look at the guards on his right.

"I assumed I was amongst friends."

Mr. Anderson smiled at him before looking down at his cards. "Bet you fifty years," he said as he placed his hand underneath a TimeHolder and deposited his time.

Kurt looked at him and then at the rest of the men at the table. Mr. Anderson must have noticed his uneasiness because he grinned before looking down. "You must be young. When you've been twenty five for eighty five years like I have, knowing only a random act of violence could take your life, you learn to appreciate what you have."

How dare he speak like that? He had no idea what it meant to appreciate the time you had. Kurt controlled his anger before giving him a tight smile.

"And you seem to have a lot to appreciate," he said pointing at Mr. Anderson's right arm which he'd placed on the table. His arm was uncovered and from where Kurt sat he could see over nine thousand years on his timer. Mr. Anderson on his part only gave him a serious look as he tried to pull down the sleeve of his suit as far as possible.

"I call," Kurt said looking down, placing his hand underneath the TimeHolder and betting fifty years as well.

Mr. Anderson looked at him as the dealer placed another card on the table. Just then a door behind Mr. Anderson opened and in stepped a man followed by a guard. This wasn't any stranger though; Kurt recognized him. He was the man he'd seen outside his hotel the day before. The man walked in giving him only a glance before walking over to Mr. Anderson. He removed his wool coat, his security guard taking it, and sat down on the empty chair.

Kurt could not believe it, still he kept a neutral face. The other man wore a royal blue suit with a black bow tie. His eyes shined even more in the light from the chandelier above. The man now finally met his gaze and Kurt tilted his head a bit. He turned his attention back to Mr. Anderson who had begun speaking.

"Of course, some think what we have is unfair," he said before glancing at the newcomer. The other man however kept his eyes on Kurt. "The time difference between zones."

"I've heard that," Kurt commented casually.

Mr. Anderson's fingers grazed his own timer. "But isn't this just the next logical step in our evolution?" he asked looking up at him. "And hasn't evolution always been unfair?"

Kurt was having a really hard time not standing up, leaning across the table and punching the man. The nerve, he thought as he clenched his fist underneath the table.

"It's always been survival of the fittest," Mr. Anderson explained before placing his hand underneath the TimeHolder again. "Raise you another two centuries."

Kurt watched the timer in the middle of the table go up to eleven hundred years. He didn't know if Mr. Anderson was trying to prove a point or was just showing off how much time he had. The man sitting next to him looked as if he'd heard this many times before and had a bored expression on his face.

"This is merely Darwinian capitalism. Natural selection," Mr. Anderson clarified looking at him.

"Absolutely. The strong survive," Kurt agreed keeping his voice steady before continuing, "and I think your hand is weak. I call."

He knew Mr. Anderson was not expecting this as Kurt put up his remaining two centuries. He lifted up his right arm and put it on top of the table, his timer in full display. Only thirty seconds remained on it.

This caused the man sitting next to Mr. Anderson to lean forward. Mr. Anderson on the other hand seemed to be in shock as he said, "You've pitched it all in, Mr. Hummel."

Kurt met his gaze, not looking away as Mr. Anderson revealed his two cards, a queen of spades and a queen of clubs. He tried hard not to smile, as he looked down and revealed his, an eight of hearts and a four of spades. The dealer removed the queen of hearts and jack of clubs from the five cards in front of him, leaving only the seven of clubs, five of spades and six of diamonds.

Kurt looked up at Mr. Anderson before turning his gaze to the man next to him. He met his gaze before looking down at Kurt's timer with wide eyes. He was down to four seconds. Before it even reached two he placed it on top of the TimeHolder and instantly began to collect his winnings.

The man relaxed before giving him a smile. Kurt looked down at his own timer. Eleven hundred years.

"Thirteen figures," Mr. Anderson said sounding impressed. "Well played. That was some risk."

It took Kurt a moment to get rid of the shock. He couldn't believe he had over a thousand years in his hand. Never in his wildest dream had he thought of owning so much time. He saw Mr. Anderson and the man next to him begin to stand up so he stood up, too.

"It wasn't a risk," he said as he watched the other man walk over to the stairs. "No offense. I knew I was going to win," he added after a moment turning his attention back to the other man.

Mr. Anderson now had his coat on before saying, "Confusing times." Kurt turned to face him. "Is he my father, my brother, or my son? You're hoping he's not my partner. Well he's not," Mr. Anderson said a little coldly before sighing, "Things used to be simpler once, so I'm told."

Kurt looked at the man again before shrugging.

"He's my son," Mr. Anderson said nodding before walking over to his son who now had his coat on as well. "He takes after my wife."

Kurt nodded, seeing no resemblance of Mr. Anderson in his son except for maybe their skin color. He was also shorter in height compared to him.

"Blaine," Mr. Anderson said stepping in front of the guard, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. Blaine turned around and faced him, before Mr. Anderson introduced him, "Kurt Hummel."

Blaine took a step forward, "Congratulations, Mr. Hummel. You've taken years off my father's life."

Mr. Anderson chuckled, "Which is normally what you do. Isn't that right?"

Blaine gave his father a small smile before facing him again. Kurt felt himself being mesmerized by Blaine's eyes, but kept his face serious.

"We're having a party tomorrow night," Blaine informed while staring at him. "Perhaps you'll give him a chance to win back some of those years."

"It would be a pleasure," Kurt said looking at him before turning to Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Anderson nodded next to him, "Mike will tell you where I live. Goodnight Mr. Hummel." He turned to Blaine, "Blaine, stay with your guards."

Kurt watched Mr. Anderson descend the stairs with his two bodyguards behind him. Blaine looked at him, a playful smile on his lips before walking away with his bodyguard following behind.

Kurt couldn't help the grin that formed on his face as he watched him walk down the stairs. Shaking his head slightly, he pulled up the sleeve of his suit to look at his timer. Ten thousand and ninety-nine years remained on it.

He finished his drink before descending the stairs where he looked around for Blaine, but didn't see him anywhere. He figured he'd also gone home. He might as well go back to his hotel, too, he thought. He reached the wooden podium where Mike was standing. When he saw him, Mike smiled and took out a piece of paper.

"Mr. Anderson asked me to give you this," he said handing him the paper.

"Thanks," Kurt said putting it in his pocket.

"Well, I hope to see you again soon," Mike said giving him a small bow.

"Yeah," Kurt replied before walking out.

In less than five minutes he was inside his hotel again waiting for the elevator. Anderson. Why was the name so familiar to him? Then he remembered. Anderson was the name of the loan agency he and his father would borrow time from. This changed everything. Mr. Anderson had to own more than nine thousand years if he had loan agencies all over the country. He'd found his target. He knew who to go after now.

He put away his suit in the closet. Tomorrow he'd get it dry cleaned or maybe even buy a new one. After all, he had much more than enough time now.

When he closed his eyes the first person he thought of was Blaine. He frowned. Blaine. He'd definitely looked like he was interested in him and if he was honest with himself, there was something that attracted him to Blaine. He was handsome. His hazel eyes. Perfectly styled hair. That smile. He appeared to be in great shape too, from the way the suit had hugged him in all the right places. He wasn't sure what to make of Mr. Anderson though. He'd noticed the way Blaine and he had looked at one another, but wasn't sure if Mr. Anderson approved. Maybe things were different in New Greenich.

He couldn't let himself be distracted. After all he'd come to New Greenich for a reason.

He sighed, turning to lay on his side. He had to avenge his father's death, his mother's and everyone else who died because they didn't have enough time. He'd go tomorrow night to that party and sweep Blaine off his feet. If making Blaine fall for him meant it'd get him closer to Mr. Anderson and every other wealthy person in New Greenich then so be it.

The following day Kurt had breakfast in the dining room again and waited for Sam to seat him.

"How did it go last night?" Sam asked casually as he poured apple juice into a champagne glass.

"Very good," Kurt said trying to keep his timer out of view. "Do you know where this is?" he asked pulling out the slip of paper he'd gotten last night.

Sam put down his notepad on the table and read the address. "Yeah, it's maybe a half-hour from here. Can't get there walking since the only road that passes there goes through the mountains. You're going to need a car unless you've got yourself a driver."

"Thanks," Kurt said taking the slip of paper from Sam's hand.

Kurt went back to his breakfast and an hour later he was at the front desk requesting a car so he could be taken to the nearest auto dealership.

All the cars in the dealer were of the latest model. One in particular caught Kurt's eye. A sleek, gray convertible for two. The salesman attending him led him to it and let Kurt inside it. Kurt had taken driving lessons during school when for a short time he considered being a delivery man. As he got comfortable in the car he asked how much it cost.

"Fifty-nine years."

"Fifty-nine years," Kurt repeated placing his hands on the steering wheel.

"Plus tax," the salesman added.

Kurt looked up at the man before turning back to the front of the car. It was really nice, but fifty-nine years? Plus tax he reminded himself. He let out a deep sigh, finally giving in. He needed a car to get around New Greenich he couldn't walk everywhere and there were no buses here.

He held out his wrist to the salesman who placed a Time Holder on top of it. A moment later he removed it before smiling, "The price includes delivery."

"Delivery?" Kurt asked confused.

"For wherever you're going to display it," the salesman replied.

"Display it?" he asked before scoffing. "Hell, I'm going to drive it."

"Very well then, I'll go get your keys," the salesman said before going inside and coming back later with a pair of keys.

Kurt turned on the engine before driving away from the dealer. It took him a while to get a hold of driving, but thankfully the streets of New Greenich weren't too packed. He drove around the city for a while before going back to Piacci Uomo. He picked another black sleek suit, adding a skinny black tie to the white sleeved shirt underneath. He finished the look with a pair of black leather dressing shoes.

He didn't think of himself lucky, he thought to himself as he got dressed back in his hotel that afternoon. He knew he'd met Jesse for a reason. Or else why would Jesse have given him his time? This was fate, he realized. He needed to make a change. Meeting Mr. Anderson was just another sign that he was heading in the right direction.

He wasn't sure at what time the party would start, so he left at six in the afternoon. The car came with an installed GPS which helped him find the place. He seemed to be the only one on the road that night so he drove above the speed limit with the ocean on his right as his only witness.

He pulled up to an enormous mansion, probably bigger than the casino he'd been in last night. Mr. Anderson was definitely loaded. He pulled up to the round driveway which was full of cars. A valet took his car after he stepped out. He glanced around at the people that were arriving as well, thankful he wasn't late or anything.

Mr. Anderson's mansion was made entirely of white marble and crystal. At least, he was sure the chandeliers hanging above were crystal. The next thing he noticed was the amount of guards. There were two at the front door, and when he stepped into grand foyer with a double staircase the first person he saw was Blaine. He was wearing a burgundy suit, with black dressing shoes and a black satin bow tie. As he walked up to him, Kurt wondered if Blaine wore bow ties with everything.

Kurt smiled at him and the two other women standing next to him. He then noticed Mr. Anderson standing on the right.

"Kurt Hummel," Mr. Anderson said smiling, "allow me to introduce my mother in law, Clara." He nodded at a woman with short brown hair in a gold dress. The woman in the middle had long dark curly hair and was wearing a white gown. "My wife, Michelle, and my son, Blaine. I believe you two have already met."

Blaine's eyebrows went up and Kurt could tell he was trying hard not to smile.

"Nice to meet you all," Kurt said glancing at the two women before looking back at Blaine.

They looked at one another until Mr. Anderson spoke again and Blaine looked away. "I'll come find you later for our game."

"I look forward to it." With one last glance at Blaine, Kurt walked past the foyer towards the ballroom.

The place was full of people, women in elegant dresses and the men in their best suits. He wasn't exactly sure of what to do next so he picked up a flute full of champagne and walked around with it.

He eventually found the dining room area and walked to the table in the middle. Most of the dishes on the table he'd never heard of or seen before. He walked up to a particular one, made of tiny black balls. He picked up a small spoonful before cautiously bringing it up to his nose. It smelled like the ocean he'd driven by earlier. Best not risk it, he thought as he put down the spoon. He turned his back on the table and was about to leave when someone spoke behind him.

"Having fun, Mr. Hummel?"

Kurt turned around to face Blaine standing on the side of the table with a smile on his face. Kurt nearly smiled back before he glanced back at the guard standing a few inches behind Blaine.

Pressing his lips tightly, he looked down before looking up. "Please, call me Kurt."

Blaine nodded at him, before turning his head to his right, "It's all right, Thad."

The bodyguard, Thad, seemed to hesitate before Blaine turned to face him and nod, then did he leave. Kurt watched him leave the dining room before facing Blaine.

"Do you always have a hired hand standing next to you?" Kurt asked curiously in a small voice.

"No, I usually have two," Blaine responded with a small smile.

Kurt made his way around the table, walking to where Blaine was on the other side. "It doesn't make it very easy to get to know you."

"I think that's the idea."

"Your idea?"

"My father's," Blaine finally responded before looking down.

"I understand," Kurt responded slowly picking up a cookie and putting it back on the tray. "You all have a lot to lose," he said looking around the room.

"So do you." Kurt looked at Blaine who was taking a few steps back, his eyes narrowing in his direction, "What do you do, Kurt?"

"I haven't quite figured that out yet," he answered distractedly as he watched a caterer pass by him.

Blaine faced the table as he said in a bored voice, "Yes, why bother? What's the hurry?"

"Right. Why do today what you can do in a century?" Kurt asked coldly, trying hard not to get angry right then.

Blaine seemed to not notice anything wrong since he took a few steps closer to him. "I know one thing we can do," he said looking up at him. Kurt met his gaze before Blaine glanced to his right. "Dance with me."

Kurt took a step back. "I don't dance."

"It's easy." Blaine said before taking his hand and walking him to the ballroom.

There were six couples dancing slowly to the music coming from the live orchestra. Kurt knew this was one way to attract attention, but then he noticed a female couple dancing a few feet away and relaxed. Maybe they really didn't care in New Greenich if you were gay.

"Place your right hand just below my back shoulder blade," Blaine instructed moving his hand.

Kurt tensed at how close he was to Blaine. It wasn't because Blaine was a man and he found him attractive, he'd been with a man before. Dancing, however, in front a crowd seemed much more intimate to Kurt than anything he'd ever done before. Blaine rested his own left arm on Kurt's right upper arm before taking hold of his left hand.

"And now we dance," Blaine said softly before moving them to the rhythm of the music playing.

Kurt decided he'd rather look into Blaine's eyes than around the room and see if anyone was giving them dirty looks.

They danced in silence for a moment until Blaine asked, "Do you really come from time?"

Kurt wanted to laugh, was it that noticeable? He nodded. "Why would you doubt that?"

Blaine shrugged. "I saw you run. Reminds me of people that come from the ghetto." Kurt finally looked away and instead focused on the way their foot were moving. "Sometimes I envy them," Blaine whispered.

Kurt looked up again and met his gaze. He was getting really tired of the way the rich talked about the poor and the ghetto, as if they had any idea what really went on. He looked away to the other side of the room and saw Mr. Anderson with his wife looking at them.

"You don't know anything."

"Oh, no?" Blaine asked daringly. "The clock is good for no one." When he didn't say anything Blaine continued. "The poor die and the rich don't live. We can all live forever so long as we don't do anything foolish. Doesn't that scare you? That maybe you'll never do anything foolish or courageous or anything worth a damn?"

Kurt looked at Blaine's eyes and saw how sincere he was being. It wasn't his fault, he thought. He stopped dancing and Blaine let go of him. He turned his gaze away from Blaine's eyes to his left where an open door led outside into the night.

"Come with me," he said taking hold of Blaine's wrist and pulling him towards the door.

When they stepped outside he thought one of Blaine's guard would come, but no one followed them. Blaine turned to look back as if he was expecting the same thing. He continued walking reaching some stairs which he saw led towards the ocean. He paused for a moment before pulling Blaine as he walked down the stairs.

* * *

Sebastian walked quickly to the surveillance room where he saw Nick and Jeff standing in front of a computer screen. When he reached it he saw footage of Kurt in a fancy sports car driving up to a giant mansion.

"This was tonight," Nick told him looking down at the screen.

"He's only an hour ahead of us," he said before walking away.

Nick and Jeff began to follow him. "How many of us should go?"

"You two. Might as well bring four more," Sebastian said after an afterthought. "It's only one man."

* * *

The stairs led all the way to the beach.

"Look at that. I've never seen anything like it," Kurt said looking at the waves hitting against the rocks to his left. He let out a small laugh before he began to remove his shoes. His suit coat followed next.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked confused. Kurt didn't say anything as he began to unbutton his shirt. "We don't go in! You're insane."

Kurt only grinned at him before taking off his shirt and letting it fall on the sand. "You have this in your back yard, you never go in, and I'm insane?" He began taking a few steps forward as he worked the button and zipper of his pants. He pulled down his pants along with his boxers and swore he could see Blaine blush in the moonlight. "Well? What are you waiting for?" He asked as he stepped out of them, before running to the ocean.

The water was surprisingly not that cold. Not warm enough to keep his body heated, but not cold enough that his body was freezing. Blaine was still staring at him from where he'd taken off his shirt. "Blaine, come on! What happened to doing something foolish?" he yelled at him.

He watched as an internal fight went inside Blaine's head before he began to remove his coat. Kurt grinned as he watched him remove his clothes before he finally jumped in the water.

"It's cold!" Blaine gasped.

"Just dive in and you'll get used to it," he said before he submerged himself underneath a tide. When he came back he saw Blaine shaking his head. "You do know how to swim right?" Blaine nodded in his direction. "Good," he said playfully before splashing some water in his direction and going deeper into the ocean.

"Hey!" Blaine called out before swimming right behind him.

For a moment the rest of world was forgotten as they swam deeper into the ocean where the tide was low. The only light they had was the one from their timers and the moon. Kurt stopped swimming when he neared a giant rock. Blaine nearly bumped into him. Kurt's heart began to beat faster at the sight of Blaine. Blaine on the other hand was breathing deeply and let the water rock him closer to Kurt. Biting his lower lip Kurt reached out for Blaine, who gasped when their hands touched underneath the water. Their faces were so close now and Kurt could see tiny drops of water stuck on Blaine's eyelashes. Kurt leaned in and their noses touched. He was about to lean in closer when Blaine pulled away.

"I don't know you," he breathed out.

"We could change that," Kurt said moving closer again only for Blaine to turn away smiling. "I get it. Out here, all alone with a stranger. You can't be too careful."

Blaine faced him again, with a serious look, "Maybe you can."

Kurt smiled and watched Blaine lean in closer, their lips merely inches apart when they heard someone call out for Blaine. Blaine pulled back immediately and looked towards the mansion.

"Blaine!" they heard a man call again.

Quickly both swam to the back of the rock and hid behind it.

"It's Thad," Blaine said sighing. "I have to go back."

"To what?" Kurt asked glancing down at his timer through the clear water. He shook his head, "Yeah, you're right. You should go back."

Blaine gave him a long look as if wanting to say something, but instead swam back to the shore. Kurt followed a minute later, quickly changing, and sneaking a few glances at Blaine. He had been right about Blaine, he was definitely in good shape. He didn't feel bad about looking since he knew Blaine was also looking at him.

"We should go around to the back," Blaine said as they reached the stairs. "You can dry your hair there."

Kurt nodded and followed him. There were a few guests outside, but none paid attention to them as they went to the back of the mansion. It took longer than he thought since the place was so big.

"Here we go," Blaine said stopping in front of a narrow door. "It's the exit door for the servants," Blaine explained as he opened it. This part of the mansion was quiet, although music coming from the ballroom could still be heard. Blaine stopped at the second door and opened it. Inside he saw a dryer like the one back in his suite. He leaned down and dried his air.

"There's gel here," Blaine said relieved as he opened up a cabinet and pulled out a container.

Kurt took it, applied a small amount to his hair before washing his hands. "I'll see you back at the party, Anderson," he added teasingly before leaving the room.

He followed the hallway all the way to the end and found himself next to the dining room. He was just done adjusting his suit when he nearly bumped into Mr. Anderson.

He looked preoccupied. "Have you seen my son?"

Kurt stared at him. "I have," he said slowly, "He's with his guards."

Mr. Anderson didn't seem convinced. He didn't know how, but Blaine stepped into the hallway across from him, with both his guards following. "Right behind you," Kurt added and Mr. Anderson turned around to face his son.

From where Kurt was standing he could see Blaine had rushed at fixing his hair, not applying enough gel as he had before that his curls were starting to show.

"Thank God," he heard Mr. Anderson mutter before letting out a sigh of relief. He then faced him, "Now, how about that game?"

Kurt blanked out for a moment before remembering. Blaine gave him a smile when his father turned around. Kurt smiled back as he walked in front of Mr. Anderson, stepping out into the foyer. Just then the front doors burst open and four men dressed in black entered.

Kurt panicked, noticing the same reaction in the other guests. When he turned around he saw three men dressed in black, holding guns come from the same direction Blaine had come from. Everyone made way for them and Kurt was momentarily reminded of minute men. Why would there be minute men in New Greenich? He noticed the tallest one, with sandy brown hair staring at him and he didn't like the way he was being looked at.

"It's all right, everyone," Mr. Anderson said trying to calm down his guests. "What's this about?"

"I'm sorry to have to break up the party, Mr. Anderson," the tall man said before looking at Kurt, "I just need a word with your friend."

Oh no, Kurt thought as Mr. Anderson turned to face him. "My friend?" Mr. Anderson asked looking at him in disbelief. "Very well," he finally said nodding at the men and stepping back.

Another tall man with white blond hair and a medium-height man with brown hair walked over to him, before grabbing him by both arms. They began pulling him to the right set of stairs, before he turned around and met Blaine's gaze. Blaine looked shocked, but remained where he was standing.

Kurt stayed quiet as they got to the top of the stairs; he heard Mr. Anderson say something to his guests before coming up the stairs.

"May we borrow a room?" the one who Kurt figured was in charge asked as two other men holding guns stood by his side.

"Yes, my study is right here," Mr. Anderson said opening the first door on his right.

"Thank you," the man replied before Kurt was pulled in by the other two men who were holding him.

Before the door closed Kurt met Mr. Anderson's cold gaze.

Inside the study room, Kurt was seated behind the desk quite forcefully even though he wasn't fighting back. The man with the blondest hair placed his right arm on the desk and pulled up his sleeve. He looked down at his timer, before letting go and taking a few steps back.

The two men with guns were standing a few feet away from Kurt. On either side of him were the other two who had dragged him in. The other man stood in front of the desk studying a portrait before facing him. As pulled up a chair for himself, Kurt shook his arm before pulling down his sleeve. He had no idea what was going on, but he had nothing to hide. At least, not really. He remained seated on the big chair and watched the man in front of him sit down.

He took a deep breath before speaking, "I'm Timekeeper Sebastian Smythe."

Kurt wanted to say he hadn't asked, but instead began to undo his tie. "I'm Kurt Hummel," he said with with a quick smile.

Sebastian nodded. "I know." He remained quiet for a long moment waiting for Kurt to say something. "What are you doing in this zone?"

Kurt shrugged. "It's not illegal, is it? To change time zones?"

"No, it's not illegal," Sebastian said shaking his head lightly. "It's just rare." They stared at one another before Sebastian finally got down to business. "Where did you get that?"

"I won it," Kurt answered calmly. "Gambling."

"All of it?" Sebastian questioned.

Kurt knew he could lie and say yes, but that just wasn't him.

"No," he admitted. "A man named Jesse St. James gave me over a century." Sebastian didn't say anything, but continued staring at him. "He said he didn't need it anymore. He timed himself out."

"Jesse St. James was worth thousands of years. He could practically live forever. You expect me to believe that he was immortal and he wanted to die?"

"I don't expect you to believe it, but it's the truth," Kurt answered seriously. "It was a gift, I'm not a thief!" So this is why they'd come looking for him. They thought he'd killed Jesse and took his time. "But hey, if you guys are looking for some stolen time, maybe you should arrest everyone here."

Sebastian almost laughed, but instead smiled. "Oh, I see. You're talking about injustice." He got up from his seat. "I am a Timekeeper, I don't concern myself with justice. I only concern myself with what I can measure: seconds, minutes, hours. I keep time and that time is in the wrong hands," he finished as he walked over and stood next to him. "Nick. Jeff."

"That time will be held," Nick said taking out a TimeHolder, while Jeff put his right arm back on top of the desk, "along with you."

"We'll leave you two hours for booking and processing," Jeff added a few moments later and let go of him.

Kurt couldn't help, but glance down at the two hours in his hand. Just like the time he had was gone. He looked up to see the three men begin to head out. "Why are you investigating his suicide? There's mass murder in the ghetto everyday," Kurt pointed out, particularly to Sebastian.

Nick and Jeff continued walking and opened the door before stepping out. Sebastian however turned around to face him.

"That is fascinating," he said slowly taking a few steps towards him. "I heard a woman talk like that. It was over twenty years ago. You're probably too young to remember your mother."

Kurt looked at him shocked. What did Sebastian mean by that? And how did he know his mother?

Sebastian turned his back on him as he began walking towards the door. "We'll arrange safe transport, this is New Greenwich after all."

When he looked out the door he saw Mr. Anderson and Blaine standing there. He opened his mouth, but closed it when he saw the look Blaine gave him. Blaine was about to walk away when Mr. Anderson pulled him back, "Blaine, do as I say and go with the guards."

Blaine rolled his eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, father! There's an army in this house. If we can't stop one man from killing us," Blaine turned to meet Kurt's eyes, "we should kill ourselves."

He pulled his arm from his father's grip and walked away. Everyone seemed too stunned to say or do anything. Kurt eyed the two men standing next to him, knowing it was now or never. He reached for the man on his left, taking hold of the gun and hitting the man in the face before quickly punching the other on the throat. He pointed the gun at Mr. Anderson and Timekeeper Smythe as he ran past them. He made out Blaine's suit descending the stairs on the left side as he ran down the ones on the right. A guard ran up to him and Kurt kicked him in the stomach. He didn't bother to watch the man fall down as he jumped over the banister and landed on a desk underneath.

Another guard jumped at him and Kurt pushed him away, hitting him slightly with the gun in his hand. The other guests in the house screamed and began to flee. Blaine reached the bottom of the stairs before looking at Kurt and gasping in surprise. Kurt reached out for him, pulling Blaine's back against his chest, wrapping an arm around his throat and pressing the gun to his head.

Blaine cried out in pain as Kurt pulled him in the direction of the dining room.

"Stop him!" he heard Mr. Anderson yell from afar.

Kurt raised his gun at the people pressed against the walls as he continued moving past the dining room straight into the kitchen. He pushed Blaine in front of him. "Move," he yelled bumping into chefs and waiters. "Get out of the way!" he yelled at a woman as they reached a back door.

He locked it on his way out and grabbed Blaine. They exited through a side door out into the open air. He saw his car a few feet away with a guard standing nearby. When the guard saw him he raised his own gun. "Put it down or I blow his head off," Kurt ordered pointing his own gun at Blaine.

The guard hesitated before surrendering and putting down the gun. Kurt let go of Blaine to punch the guard before picking up the other gun. "Thanks."

He pushed Blaine into the car, before he got on and turned on the engine. He pressed the gas pedal before driving quickly out to the front of the mansion. Just as he was pulling out of the driveway and into the street he heard sirens behind him. As he drove out into the street he nearly missed crashing into another car.

"Jesus!" Blaine yelled, holding on the door, as Kurt swerved the car to the left.

"Jesus isn't going to save you now," Kurt said loudly as he entered a highway.

This was not how he'd planned for his night to end, but then again you couldn't always get what you wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

Kurt had been driving for almost fifteen minutes when he heard the sirens of the Timekeeper's car behind.

_Shit._

They were just minutes away from the border; if he could get through it he could probably lose the Timekeepers. Blaine was seating next to him still gripping to the side of the door from how fast he was driving. He kept giving panicked looks at the rest of the cars when Kurt got too close to them.

“You're going to kill us,” Blaine finally spoke, his voice shaking. “Please just let me out.”

Kurt ignored him as he turned to look back to see that the car chasing them was gaining fast on them. The car was now less than four feet away, even as it dodged cars on its path. If he had time to spare Kurt would bet that it was Sebastian in that car.

Kurt was driving past the speed limit and unsure of how to keep the car from swerving too much as he avoided another car. The sirens of the car behind them got louder as did the lights, when he got rear ended by it. He lost control of the car as it began to spin. He held on to the wheel as tightly as possible since he hadn't bothered to put on his seat belt.

As the car came to a stop, the car that had been chasing them went past them and blocked their way. When it stopped completely, Kurt looked up to see Sebastian behind the wheel of the other car. He'd been right, it was Sebastian. And now he was standing in his way. Blaine seemed to be at loss of words as he gaped at him and then at Sebastian. The lack of other police cars let Kurt known that only Sebastian had followed. This at least gave him the opportunity to escape, he'd done it once, what was one more time?

Without missing a beat, Kurt quickly changed the car to reverse before beginning to drive in the direction from which they'd come from. He'd have to leave New Greenich by street instead of the highway as he'd hoped.

“What are you doing?” Blaine asked.

Kurt continued ignoring him, focusing on driving the car backwards with Sebastian still in the back following.

“Do you even know how to drive?” Blaine yelled as Kurt avoided crashing into another car.

Kurt cast a him a quick glance. “What's there to know?”

There were two cars driving towards him that when they separated Kurt wasn't able to go left or right. There also wasn't much time or space for him to dodge the oncoming truck.

“Shit,” he muttered as he turned the car a hundred and eighty degrees, nearly missing the truck as he drove past it. From the crash he heard a moment later he figured Sebastian hadn't been so lucky. He cast a quick glance back and managed to make out Sebastian's car, the back ruined, but other than that pretty much intact.

He continued driving from the direction he'd come from, before turning to face Blaine. Blaine was breathing deeply but had at least stopped clutching the door. Even though he lowered his speed Kurt was still driving fast.

In minutes he reached the border, forcefully making Blaine pay since he was the one with time at the moment. He followed the above-ground highway from below since that seemed to be the fastest way to get from one timezone to another.

When they reached timezone five, Kurt heard sirens from cop cars above on the freeway. They must still be looking for him and since Sebastian knew he was from Lima, they were probably searching for him in the freeways. He pulled over, underneath a tunnel opening, before glancing down at his timer. An hour and ten minutes. He probably wouldn't even make it to timezone eight with what he had. He needed to get to Lima, from there he'd find Puck and ask for some of the time he'd given him. Then- well, he really didn't know, but he'd figure it out.

“Give me some time,” he said turning to Blaine reaching out for his left arm.

Blaine pulled his hand away, looked in the other direction and said, “I guess you really are from the ghetto after all.”

He didn't have time to deal with this, but Blaine's tone made him angry.

“What the hell do you know about where I'm from? Give me some time,” he repeated glancing at Blaine's timer.

Blaine had over a decade on his timer, which was more than enough to survive in Lima. “Why? Are you going to kill me like you killed Jesse St. James?”

There it was. Jesse's name. Maybe Jesse had meant well by giving him his time, but so far it was just causing him problems. “Lend me an hour!”

“I'm not giving you a second,” Blaine said darkly before looking away again. “I should have listened to my father,” he said out loud to himself.

Kurt stared at him, hearing the regret in his voice before glancing down at his timer.

“Please take me home,” Blaine pleaded in a softer and kinder voice.

Kurt looked up at him before shaking his head. “I can't do that.”

“Why?” Blaine asked quickly turning to face him.

Sighing, Kurt replied, “You're keeping me alive.”

He turned on the car's engine before glancing at Blaine's teary eyes, visible even in the dark. He'd admit that he wasn't proud of what he'd done, but he hadn't left Lima only to be taken to prison in New Greenich. He hadn't killed Jesse, but there was no evidence that proved otherwise. Taking Blaine as hostage had been his only way to get out of there alive. He wished he could explain to Blaine why, but knew that he most likely would not listen, just like Sebastian.

“Keep that covered,” Kurt finally said pointing at Blaine's right arm. “If anybody sees it, you're definitely dead.”

He pulled out from where they were, glad that it was night instead of day as the cameras at each check out point would make it hard for them to be recognized. When they were in timezone eight, he remembered he'd stored four hours in the Time Holder built into the car for an emergency. He didn't know why he hadn't stored more. They had some difficulties in timezone ten and Kurt had to take the long way to timezone twelve.

They didn't enter Lima until early mid-day. Here he no longer felt the need to drive in the shadows, but knew better. He was driving an expensive car and sitting next to a guy with a decade on his timer. Any moment now something could go wrong.

* * *

 

“We've had a slow week, boys,” Dave Karofsky said to his fellow Minute Men.

“Don't worry,” Azimio said as they looked out into the highway, “this should shake things up a bit.”

He opened up the trunk of the car and took out a spike strip. “It will really make the cars stop.”

“This better work,” Karofsky said as he climbed back into the front seat of the car. He watched Azimio and another Minute Man, Ben, place the strip on the middle of the road.

“Now we wait,” Karofsky muttered as they drove in the direction of some bushes where they waited for their next unfortunate victim.

* * *

 

Kurt looked down at his timer, forty minutes remained. He was still a good fifteen minutes away from Puck's house. He needed to drive faster. As he pressed on the gas, he glanced at the above-ground freeway and spotted a camera. He'd almost forgotten about them. In his distraction he didn't see the spike strip on the ground, he only heard the front tires burst and the car begin to swerve as he tried to maintain control. The car ended going on the far right of the road towards the built river.

The car soared in the air and he immediately reached for Blaine with his left hand. It hit the cement wall leading down, before turning over and landing upright at the bottom. He felt his whole body shake and hit the side of the door before everything went black.

* * *

 

Karofsky couldn't help the grin that spread on his face as he saw the impact that the spike strip had made.

“What did I tell you?” Azimio said from the seat behind as they drove towards the other car.

Their car stopped a few feet away and he along with four others got out of the car. His grin vanished once he took in the model of the car. It was a beautiful car, well it had been as now the front and back were severely damaged.

“Now that worked too well, you guys wasted a good car,” he said glaring at Azimio.

Azimio turned his attention to the two passengers, currently passed out. “Look who it is.”

Karofsky glanced at the fair skinned man with his head on the steering wheel. Hummel.

“Who it was,” he said as before reaching out for his right arm. Barely thirty-nine minutes. “He's done in minutes,” he informed the others.

“He'll wake up dead,” Azimio said with a laugh. “That'll be a shock.”

“That's too bad, I would have preferred to kill him more beautifully,” he said glancing down at Hummel. If it hadn't been for him he'd have a century on his timer right now.

“The other boy is still breathing,” said Ben from the other side of the car.

The Minute Man standing next to him, Jason, reached out to uncover his timer. “He's got a decade!”

“Holy shit!” Ben gasped leaning in to see.

Karofsky quickly made his way to the other side of the car pulling up the sleeve of his left hand. “The man he stole from me had more than a century,” he said as he took the other man's right hand and began to take his time. He felt the rest of their eyes on him. “What? We'll divide it later,” he said. “It's like an angel fell from the sky,” he muttered looking down as less than a year remained to be transferred before his eyes went back to Hummel.

Just then on the above-ground highway they heard a Timekeeper's siren before seeing the car pass.

“Hey,” Azimio said motioning for them that it was time to go.

The other men quickly followed and got into the car, however Karofsky stayed. He was going to take the time he deserved.

“Karofsky, leave it!” Azimio said loudly before he opened up the passengers door waiting for him. “Karofsky!”

Slamming his hand on the side of the car, Karofsky let go of the man's hand. He hadn't managed to take all of it, but it'd have to do. He climbed into the cramped car which quickly pulled away.

* * *

 

Kurt's head was pounding as he slowly lifted it off the steering wheel. _Fuck._ This was not good, he thought before looking over at Blaine. He shook him and Blaine woke up before gasping and looking down at his uncovered timer. Kurt had looked away so when he turned back to face him he was met with Blaine's wide eyes.

“Hey,” he said cupping his face with one hand, “Are you okay?”

Blaine stared at him before shaking his head, “No.”

Kurt began laughing which immediately made the pain in his head go away.

“Why are you laughing?” Blaine asked shocked.

“We're not dead.”

“Yeah? Well, we're not alive for much longer either,” Blaine said livid as he opened up the car door and got out. “Where did my time go? I have half an hour.”

_Of course, damn them._

“You're lucky,” he finally said before he too got out of the car. “Minute Men.”

Blaine seemed confused by this but still managed to ask angrily, “Does everyone in the ghetto steal?”

“That's rich coming from you,” Kurt said turning his back on him. He had to think. They had to hurry, too.

“Please help me, Kurt!” Blaine said scared.

Kurt turned to look at him. “Let me guess. Now you like the idea of sharing.” Blaine looked so helpless and frightened. “Come here,” he said walking over to him and taking his hand. He didn't have much either, but figured even a few minutes would calm him down. He gave him four minutes so that now both had thirty-five minutes on their timer. “Hey, don't worry. It's not the first time I've been this broke,” he said softer than he intended.

“Well, it's the first for me!” Blaine said pushing away his arm. “What are we going to do?”

“Whatever we have to,” Kurt said as he decided to stick to his original plan. It'd take maybe a little longer to get to Puck's. They would make it, but not with enough time though. “Come on, we gotta go.”

He began walking in the directions of Puck's place before he reached out for Blaine's hand. Blaine was either not too angry at him or didn't know what else to do, but he took it and began jogging with him.

Even though everyone was going on about their business, they would still occasionally be glanced at them. Kurt knew it wasn't only because they were running very close to one another, but their clothes. They were wearing expensive suits, while everyone else wore simple jeans and shirts. He made a mental note to also have to borrow clothes from Puck.

* * *

 

Sebastian had arrived at Lima early morning and had been circulating the city looking for Kurt. It'd be easy to find him, specially in the car he was driving. As he was driving back to the border to see if he could see any coming cars, he stopped when he saw a wrecked car at the bottom of the man-made river.

It was Kurt's car. Completely damaged. Which could only mean he was on foot. This was going to be easier than he had expected.

Fifteen minutes later Nick and Jeff arrived. He'd been waiting at the bottom already when they got to his car. He looked down at his timer and saw only ten minutes remaining.

He placed his wrist on the built in Time Holder in the car. “Dispatch, wire me my premium.”

“Time transfer,” the machine said as three hours were passed over to his timer.

“Cutting it close again, sir,” Jeff said once he stepped out.

“Well, I'm still walking around,” Sebastian said as he walked over to the damaged car. “And judging by the lack of dead bodies I have to assume they are also.”

Nick inspected the car before speaking. “They got jacked. Couldn't have left here with more than minutes.”

“He's back in his old neighborhood,” Jeff added.

“So where do you want us to start looking?” Nick asked.

“We don't,” Sebastian finally answered as he leaned against the car looking out at the people that were around the bridge. “He'll come to us.”

* * *

The streets had been crowded, more than usual and they had to dodge a Timekeeper's car when they were two blocks away from Puck's apartment building. For the most part no one bothered them even if they did glance at them. It wasn't uncommon to see people run, usually because it meant they were running out of time.

They reached the apartment building and climbed the stairs up to the second floor. He made Blaine wait by the side window, before he knocked on the door, “Puck!”

Kurt couldn't help but glance down at his timer, three minutes and a half. “Puck, open up, it's Kurt!”

The door opened a moment later, but it wasn't Puck.

“Rachel,” he said taking a step back. She looked tired and her eyes were red. “Rachel, where's Puck?”

She looked into his eyes before answering, “He's dead.”

Kurt's body went cold as if someone had thrown a bucket of freezing water on him. _No, this couldn't be._

“Dead?” he asked still not believing it. “What?”

“You gave him a decade!” she hissed fighting back tears. “Drank himself to death with nine years left on his clock.”

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered looking down as guilt began to sink in. Puck was dead and it was all his fault. _Why did he give him a decade?_ He finally looked at Rachel who was now crying silently. “Rachel, I'm so sorry,” he said trying to lean in for a hug but she held her hand up.

“Goodbye, Kurt,” she said before reaching for the door and closing it.

Puck was dead. His best friend was dead. Kurt laid his head on the door before slamming his fist against it. This was his fault. No, this was-

“Kurt, we have minutes!” Blaine said loudly showing his timer to him, two and a half minutes remained.

“Try not to act like it,” Kurt said frustrated turning his back on him. He had to think where they were going to get time from or else they were dead.

“What does that mean?” Blaine asked loudly panicking once again.

“Shh,” Kurt said as he thought. “Shut up.”

Blaine however was not listening as he exclaimed, “We're gonna die, Kurt! Do you wanna die?”

“Shut up,” Kurt yelled turning around to face him and grabbing him by the sleeve of his suit coat. He shook him before pushing him against the wall. Blaine gulped, looking at him with scared eyes, but remained quiet. Kurt took a deep breath before looking down at his hands and something glistened on Blaine's sleeve. He looked at the diamond cufflinks Blaine had on. “I hope those are real,” he said, already knowing where they could get more time. “Run!”

They ran through the back of the apartment, through an alley and towards an empty parking lot. There was a pawn shop. They were ten yards away when he noticed that they were closing. Immediately, he and Blaine began to yell at the owner to stop. The owner however kept rolling down the garage door. A few seconds before the garage door closed, Kurt managed to push his feet in and leaving a small opening.

“Come back in an hour,” the man on the side with a heavy accent said.

“That won't be possible,” Kurt said glancing at his timer, less than fifty-five seconds.

Blaine quickly removed his cufflinks and threw them underneath to the person on the other side. A moment later the door began to rise up, but there was still a locked trackless door grill between them. Inside stood a Filipino couple, the women holding a rifle up to eye level while the man inspected the diamonds.

The man's eyes fell on Blaine's timer which was uncovered.

“I'll give you two days for them,” he finally said

“But they're diamonds,” Blaine protested in disbelief.

“You can take the forty-eight hours or be a handsome corpse.”

Kurt knew two days was an immense rip-off but he only had seconds on his timer.

“We'll take it,” he said ignoring the look on Blaine's face. The owner of the shop put out his right hand and Kurt took it. The man let go quickly after two days had been passed over. He motioned for them to leave.

Blaine let out a sigh of relief as they turned away from the shop. Just then Kurt heard a siren heading their way and immediately put his hand over Blaine's mouth. He pulled him into an alley and waited for the car to pass.

“Don't make a sound,” he whispered.

Once the car left, Blaine took a step away from him. “Give me my time,” he said reaching out for Kurt's right hand. Glancing down at each others timer, Kurt passed over twenty-four hours to Blaine. Blaine stared at him waiting for his next move. With a sigh, Kurt pulled out one of the guns he had in his pocket before pressing at Blaine's side.

“Let's go,” he said walking out of the alley.

They walked at the normal pace as everyone this time. People moved out of their way once they spotted the gun in Kurt's hand.

“I guess I got my wish. I did do something foolish,” Blaine said sarcastically followed by a chuckle.

Kurt smiled as he glanced at a nearby building. Anderson's Timelenders. “Your name's on a lot of buildings,” he commented.

“It's my father's name,” Blaine said now his voice serious.

Sebastian had said that Jesse was worth thousands of years and he'd never heard of him of before. “How much is he worth anyway?” Kurt asked curious.

Blaine answered after a moments thought, “Eons.”

“How much do you think he'd pay to get you back?” Kurt asked as they reached the intersection of two big streets.

On the street they were on there were three public telephone booths. Kurt led Blaine to them looking around.

Blaine scoffed. “Oh, you have no shame, do you?” he asked breaking his hold from Kurt.

“Hey!” Kurt said sharply taking his arm once again. He pressed the gun a little more this time. He felt bad about doing so, but he couldn't let Blaine escape. He wouldn't be able to survive in the ghetto by himself. And if Minute Men had targeted them once, they would be sure to come back. He was doing this for the safety of Blaine's, not just his anymore.

He gave Blaine a warning glance who sighed, then let go so he could pick up the headset and place the receiver end on his ear.

“Please deposit one minute,” a female voice spoke.

He placed his wrist underneath the scanner and then a dial tone could be heard. He turned to face Blaine, “Dial.”

Blaine simply looked at him and Kurt motioned for him to hurry. He saw Blaine roll his eyes before he stepped forward and dialed. Kurt mouthed a 'thanks'. With the hand holding the gun, he pressed it against Blaine motioning for him to lean against the building next to them. He took a few steps towards him keeping the gun next to him.

* * *

Sebastian along with Nick and Jeff were at the Anderson estate after having left the scene of crime. They were waiting for Kurt to call and ask for a ransom. A man like him, from timezone twelve, it was the least to be expected. They'd been sitting in Mr. Anderson's office for nearly half-an hour when the phone rang.

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson looked at him. He nodded at Mr. Anderson to pick up.

At the second ring, Mr. Anderson answered, “Hello.”

A moment later Mr. Anderson was holding out the phone to him. _Oh, Kurt was clever._

He took the phone and placed it to his ear. “Hello, Kurt. How much do you want?”

“A thousand years,” was Kurt's answer.

He scoffed, because well really? This man was asking for a thousand years. “You'll never live to spend it.”

Not if I can help it, he added to himself.

There was silence in the other line before Kurt spoke again, “Then distribute it to the Timelines in Lima. Do it by sunrise tomorrow and he can go home.”

The Timelines were mission houses that gave out time to the less fortunate ones. Kurt wanted a thousand years to be given to them?

He took a few steps towards the window, away from Mr. Anderson's desk. “I'm afraid for you, Kurt. You keep talking like her, you're gonna die like her,” he said sure that Kurt would know who he was referring to.

When Kurt spoke he heard anger in his tone, “Hey, my mother timed out, okay?”

“No, Kurt,” Sebastian said. “Her death wasn't bad luck. She was committed for a crime. But her crime wasn't taking time.” He let his words sink in before he continues. “She was doing something far more dangerous. Please don't make your mother's mistake.”

He waited for Kurt to say something, but instead the line went dead. He turned around to face Nick and Jeff.

“Lima,” Jeff answered looking down at a small gadget on his hand. “Patriarch Plaza.”

“I know it,” he said walking back to hand Mr. Anderson his phone. “A thousand years distributed to the Timelines.”

“A thousand years,” Mr. Anderson repeated stunned.

Mrs. Anderson faced her husband. “It's nothing. It's for our son.”

“No,” Mr. Anderson said coldly. “It's for them.”

“I wouldn't recommend paying for a ransom,” Sebastian spoke up. “We know where he is. We'll find him. We'll keep you notified.”

“Yes, thank you,” Mr. Anderson said looking up.

Nick and Jeff excused themselves and Sebastian followed.

“We'll have him tomorrow at the latest,” Nick said to him as they descended the stairs.

It wasn't until they reached his car that he shook his head. “No, I'll have him,” he said. “I'll be going for him alone.”

“But-” Nick began.

“I said alone.”

Nick and Jeff remained quiet knowing there was no point in arguing with him. He'd be the one to make Kurt pay and bring Blaine back home. Even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

Kurt had stared at the phone for a moment after he'd hung up. He knew he shouldn't take out his anger at Sebastian on Blaine, but it was hard. He gripped Blaine's arm, pulling him in the direction of his apartment building. Blaine didn't say anything, perhaps since this time Kurt wasn't making an attempt at hiding the gun pressed at his side.

“This is insane. They could take your time just like that,” Blaine said out of nowhere.

“Or you can take theirs.”

“This is insane,” Blaine said shaking his head before stopping.

Kurt only glanced down once where Blaine's eyes were looking at. On the side of the street was a women, lying still with a black timer on her hand. Blaine seemed to not be able to look away, so Kurt pulled him to the opposite direction.

“Yeah, it's insane,” he finally agreed.

* * *

Blaine realized that the fear he felt wasn't for Kurt, but of dying. He'd never had to worry about it until now. He'd been seconds away from death and he was terrified. Even the time he'd received wasn't enough because if he didn't get more time he'd die in less than twenty hours.

He kept quiet as his mind began to wonder if his father would be willing to give a thousand years to get him back? As much as he hated to admit it he somewhat doubted it. Maybe his mother would convince him. 

Night quickly arrived as they walked through the streets. He had no idea where Kurt was taking him, but Kurt didn't look lost. Even if he did see him looking about the streets now and then. He was also quiet and for a moment he wanted to ask if he was okay. He'd heard the women tell him about Puck being dead. He didn't know who he was, but it seemed to have shocked Kurt. 

"Here," Kurt said finally. That's when he realized they'd walked into an alley and were standing in front of a few trashcans. With a quick glance around, Kurt jumped and pulled down a set of emergency stairs. "Stop at the third floor." 

Blaine nodded before he began climbing up the stairs. When he got to the third floor, he moved aside to let Kurt pass. Kurt pushed open the window before climbing inside and he followed after.

"We'll be safe here til dawn," Kurt said as he stood in the dark. "It'll take them a day to find me." 

Blaine looked around the place from what he could see from the light outside. It was small and homey. 

"Is this your place?" Blaine finally faced Kurt who was washing his hands on a sink. 

Kurt looked at him, leaving the small light on. "There's water, it's cold, but it's something." Another pause. "You can put on fresh clothes."

Without another word he walked towards a door on his left. "Pick whatever fits you from the closet."

Blaine didn't know what to say so he simply nodded before walking into the room. The bed looked like it hadn't been slept in for a few days. Everything else also seemed untouched. He walked to the closet on the other side of the room. He picked a simple white long sleeved shirt and blue jeans. He found a pair of used sneakers that were his size and traded them for his dress shoes. He folded his suit and placed it next to the dresser.

He took a deep breath as he caught his reflection on a mirror by the wall. He looked the same, except for the clothes. In New Greenich he was always wearing tailored suits, even his pajamas had been tailored. Yet now here he was wearing simple clothes. 

He remembered what he'd said earlier that day, "I guess I got my wish. I did do something foolish." He'd hated the lifestyle in New Greenich and then Kurt had come along. Kurt had captivated him from the moment he'd seen him running. He wasn't going to even bother trying to deny that Kurt was good looking. 

Stop it, he scolded himself, you can't be attracted to the man who is holding you hostage. With a sigh he looked away from the mirror and walked towards the door of the room.

* * *

Kurt stood by the window looking at the Timeline Mission across the street after cleaning himself up. The lit neon sign read 'Out of Time'. However, if Mr. Anderson did pay what he'd asked in the morning it would simply read 'Time'. 

He turned around when he heard a door open and a moment later footsteps. He didn't know how he felt about Blaine wearing his father's clothes. Blaine didn't seem to notice as he stood by the couch and looked around. 

"Where's your family?" Blaine finally asked him. 

"My father timed out," Kurt answered as his eyes looked at the clothes was wearing once again. 

Blaine looked at them, too, before looking up. "These are his clothes?" 

"Yes," Kurt replied quickly as he moved away from the window. He placed the gun he'd been holding on the table before pouring champagne onto a cup. 

"What about your mother?" 

"She timed out, too, when I was a boy," he answered before holding out the cup to Blaine. "Although, now I'm not so sure," he added softly avoiding eye contact. 

Blaine still looked at him with sad eyes before taking the cup. 

"It took my dad and I a while to adjust, but we managed," Kurt explained to Blaine. "He was a fighter, strong arm. He wasn't the strongest, but he knew how to win." 

Kurt served himself some champagne before taking a sip. Thinking about his father was hard; he'd only lost him a few days ago. 

"How do you win?" Blaine asked curiously from the couch where he was now sitting. 

Kurt stared at Blaine and he could tell he really wanted to know. It wouldn't hurt to teach him something he figured before replying, "I'll show you." 

Kurt set down his cup and went to the couch as he rolled up the sleeve to his shirt. Blaine's eyes followed his movements before doing the same and turning to face him. Kurt could see a hint of fear as he took Blaine's right arm with his.

"What you do is you let them have the upper hand. And then he would let his time go all the way down," Kurt explained slowly as he squeezed down on Blaine's arm which was on top of his. He didn't break eye contact as he continued speaking. "Because he knew that when you were down to your last seconds, and they think it's over, they start watching your clock," a small grin spread on his face as Blaine looked down at Kurt's arms which was now down to seconds, "and forget to watch their own." Slowly he turned his hand over so his arm was on top now and quickly he began to gain back his time. 

Blaine watched him with astounded eyes before shaking his head lightly. Kurt continued to hold his arm even though no more time was passing over. His fingers lingered on Blaine's arm before both pulled away. 

Blaine composed himself as he rolled down the sleeve of the shirt he had on. "Why aren't you so sure your mother timed out?" he asked tentatively. 

"My mother," Kurt began, "she was fearless, as my father would say. And beyond generous, always wanting to help people who needed time even if she didn't have enough for herself. What Sebastian said on the phone to me today makes believe she was killed for doing that. She wasn't just giving them time, she was giving them hope." 

They stayed in silent as Kurt stood up and finished his drink. 

"How long have you been this old?" Blaine asked from behind. 

And there it was. If he was honest this was a question he'd been wanting to ask himself as well. For all he knew, Blaine was probably the same age Jesse had been, maybe even older. 

"Twenty five for three," he said as he sat down on his father's sofa chair and facing Blaine who had a serious look.

"Twenty five for two," he finally said before smiling and Kurt couldn't help but smile back. "What was it like when your clock started?" 

Kurt looked to his left as the memory replayed in his mind. "I was in the street, it almost knocked me over." It was like someone had punched him, even though he felt no pain. Instead it had been an adrenaline rush followed by cold fear. Gone were his care-free days of not having to worry about getting more time. "My year was gone in a week, we were so in debt. After that, I lived day to day." 

Blaine had a solemn expression. "Mine was a little different. It woke me. I looked in the mirror, I guess everybody does. That's what you're gonna look like for the rest of your life."

Kurt had looked at himself in the mirror too he remembered. He had hated that he would look much younger than everyone else for as long as he could live. People would be surprised when they met him for the first time and saw that his clock was already running. It was also why Minute Men hadn't targeted him whenever they saw him, they believed his timer still hadn't started.

Blaine smiled bitterly before looking away. "My dad gave me a decade to celebrate." He paused. "You must hate me, where I come from."

Kurt looked up before stating, "It's nobody's fault what they're born with."

He stood up, grabbing the gun from the table, putting it on his back pocket before walking to his father's room and closing the door. He didn't hate, Blaine. He really didn't. He hated whoever had made this happen. Giving the rich even more power over the human race. This wasn't how human life should be. Controlled by the rich and greedy, whom only worried about themselves.

He sat down at the edge of his father's bed choking back a sob. He'd told himself he wouldn't cry anymore. That's why he'd cried before leaving. By this point he didn't worry over the fact that Blaine could use this time to escape. It wouldn't matter either way, tomorrow could be his last day alive.

* * *

 

Blaine sat still in the couch expecting to hear Kurt on the other room, but there was only silence. He sat stiff for a long while before sighing and lying down. He was surprised by how open Kurt had been with him and at the same time he appreciated it. He could tell Kurt had been through a lot in the past three years. He didn't fuss over the fact that death was always seconds away unlike him whom had freaked out earlier in the day when they'd been down to a couple of minutes.

He had never been in that position though. His dad was always nagging him about never leaving the house with less than two decades in his timer. Mostly because the cost of living was high in New Greenich. He unveiled his timer and looked down at the sixteen hours that remained. The image of the woman lying down on the street came back. He shuddered at the thought that if his father didn't pay to get him back, Kurt would probably take his time and run away. He didn't know if Kurt would be capable of doing that to him. But he'd been surprised when Kurt had requested the time be given to the mission instead of to him.

Blaine knew there had been a spark, a connection, between the two when they were out swimming. Even though that had been last night it seemed ages ago now.

With another sigh, Blaine closed his eyes hoping for the best even though he knew things would never be the same after tomorrow.

* * *

 

Kurt had slipped out of his father's room an hour later and found Blaine sleeping in the couch. He thought about getting a blanket for him, but decided not to. Caring for Blaine would only make saying goodbye worse. Because Blaine would leave tomorrow. Mr. Anderson would pay, Blaine would leave and he would try to hide for as long as he could. He went into his room and fell into his bed. He tried to sleep, but couldn't. Finally, his brain gave away to a restless sleep.

When Kurt woke up he grabbed a coat from his closet. He slipped it on before walking out into the living room. Blaine was still sleeping on the couch. Kurt put one of the guns on the coats pocket and the other he held. He went towards the window that overlooked to the Timeline Mission. He saw a long line of people waiting, hoping, that today the sign would read 'Time'. He knew it wouldn't be long now before they opened to announce if there was any time to be given or not. Today there would be, he thought as he loaded the gun and pulled the hammer, the noise waking Blaine up.

There had to be.

"They open in a minute," Kurt said noticing how messy Blaine's hair was without the gel. He turned to face back the window. "Let's see how generous your father is now."

He didn't mean for his words to come out as cold, but he'd said them and there was no going back now. A moment later, Blaine was standing next to him looking out the window. He heard Blaine take a deep breath when seconds later a man stepped out from the building. Above him the "Out of Time" sign lit up, he spoke to the people and quickly the line disappeared as people left.

Kurt felt his heart drop as he looked down. He'd considered what he'd do if this did happen, but he was still surprised. He was sure Mr. Anderson would have paid to get Blaine back. He wondered what was going through Blaine's mind right now. He looked sideways and met Blaine's eyes. His eyes looked sad, but not surprised. Kurt knew he had to say something.

In a soft voice he remarked, "The Timekeepers would have never let him do it."

"You don't have to say that," Blaine countered quickly shaking his head before looking out the window again. "How do you think my father built all those buildings? By giving away a thousand years?" He mused looking at Kurt. They stood in silence for a moment. "Now what?"

This time Blaine's voice sounded defeated.

Kurt remained quiet before stating, "You can go home." He reached to his back pocket and pulled out the other gun he had there. "There's people on the streets; I can move without being spotted. What have you got?"

Blaine pulled up his sleeve before answering, "Eleven hours."

Nodding, Kurt began walking towards the front door and he heard Blaine follow behind.

"How does anyone live like this?"

"You don't generally sleep in," Kurt answered with a small smile as he opened the door and they both stepped out into the hallway. Here goes nothing, Kurt thought as they rode down the elevator to the first floor.


	4. Chapter 4

The moment they stepped outside the building Kurt's good mood disappeared. He grabbed Blaine by his right arm and pointed the gun at his side. Blaine didn't struggle or move much as last time, he simply kept up with Kurt's long strides. Unlike the day before, the people around them didn't seem to notice the gun or chose to ignore it as they walked by them. When they reached a smaller intersection like the one the day before Kurt stopped walking.

"Call for help," Kurt finally said when a public phone came in sight. "I'll watch from here to make sure you're safe."

"You know you could fight this," Blaine said quickly, causing Kurt to let go and turn around to face him. "I can say that running to the ghetto was my idea." Kurt continued staring at him processing what he was saying. "My father would believe that, he thinks I'm reckless. He has a lot of influence, Kurt. He can get you a lawyer. He could make a deal with those Timekeepers."

Kurt shook his head. "I'm pretty sure _that_ Timekeeper doesn't make deals."

Blaine stared at Kurt for a long moment as he tried to come up with some way to convince him that he still had a chance at living. "What are you gonna do? Steal?"

"Is it stealing if it's already stolen?" Kurt finally answered after thinking about it before he took the gun he'd placed at the back of his jeans. "Here, just in case. I'll be right here."

Kurt had stepped closer to him as he handed the gun, wrapping his hands around Blaine's. Finally, Blaine knew that it was going to take more than words to get to Kurt. As he looked up at Kurt, he took a few steps towards the phone before turning around and catching Kurt by surprise as he leaned up to press their lips together. Blaine's free hand went from Kurt's neck to his cheek and Kurt responded quickly wrapping one of his arms around Blaine's waist to press him closer. Blaine had been right about the connection, he could literally feel himself burning up as they kissed. He felt more alive than he ever had before. His free hand went to Kurt's chest as he gripped the shirt he was wearing, before Kurt pulled back slowly to look at him.

Blaine leaned in for one more lingering kiss, before letting go and walking towards the phone. He didn't dare look back at Kurt knowing that he would go back to him and never call his father. He picked up the receiver and put it to his ear before dialing his house.

"Father?" he spoke quickly the moment he heard someone pick up on the other line.

"Blaine," he heard his father reply.

"You couldn't spare a second, father? I wish I could say I'm surprised." His father remained quiet on the other line. "Did you hear what I just said?"

"You know I would do anything for you. They're coming to get you, they know where you are."

Blaine had began to turn around when he heard those words and managed to spot Sebastian rounding on Kurt who hadn't seen him with a pointed gun.

"Kurt, look out!" he yelled as he dropped the phone and a moment later a gun went off.

Blaine saw Sebastian fall to the ground before he realized that he'd been the one to shoot. He stared at his raised hand before running over to Kurt who was moving towards Sebastian and kicking his fallen gun away.

* * *

Kurt could have kicked himself for being so careless. If Blaine hadn't yelled at him he could well be dead by now. When he saw Sebastian fall to the ground, he knew he had to act quick in case there were other Timekeepers nearby.

After making sure Sebastian wouldn't be able to reach his gun he watched Blaine jog past him to pick it up before moving towards the open car behind them. Kurt turned his attention back to Sebastian who was still alive and looking up at him. He crouched down before taking Sebastian left arm to look at his timer.

"Sorry, to disappoint you," Sebastian's said in a strained voice. "We don't keep much on us. It's to discourage thieves... like you."

Kurt scoffed. He was the one with the upper hand right now seeing how Sebastian was the one in the ground with a pointed gun to his chest. Still, he decided that he'd be the better and bigger man in this situation.

He took Sebastian's right arm with his, looking at the timer on Sebastian's hand go up as he said, "Think of this as a gift."

Sebastian looked up at him confused as three hours left Kurt's timer and into his.

"Kurt, come on!" Blaine yelled from the car as he stood up pointing his gun at Sebastian. He walked back as Sebastian stared down at his timer which now had four hours and forty-five minutes on it.

Kurt knew he could have killed Sebastian, but what good would that have done? It would just have worsened things for him. He was already a runaway in New Greenich, he was not about to become a killer in Lima, the only place where he could still hide. As he ran towards the driver side of the car he became aware of the people that were watching them.

Once in the car he saw Sebastian get up, clutching his right arm before he sped away.

Five minutes later as he drove them towards the edge of Lima, Blaine finally spoke, "I didn't mean to shoot him, I wanted to scare him."

"I think you did both," Kurt said as he looked back once again to make sure they weren't being followed.

"You could say thank you," Blaine said as he played with the gun.

Kurt reached over to take the gun away and put it in the back seat, "Thank you." Blaine rolled his eyes at him. "What do you got?"

"Ten hours," Blaine said looking down at his timer. "Why did you give him time?" he asked confused. "You should have taken his."

It took him a moment to realize what Blaine's word implied. Taking Sebastian's time meant killing him. Kurt looked at Blaine wanting him to realize what he had just said, but Blaine simply stared back still waiting for an answer.

"Timekeepers live day to day," Kurt finally explained realizing there was more in common between him and Sebastian. "It'll be hours before the others show up. He could die in the ghetto, he still might."

Kurt continued driving, not even sure where, he just knew they had to keep moving. Blaine didn't press the matter, simply remained quiet next to him.

He let his mind go back to the kiss. It had been amazing. It had made him forget that he was currently being looked for or the fact that they had been in public. It had also made him realize that he'd fallen for Blaine. Blaine who he was only supposed to have used to get to Mr. Anderson's good side. Now he didn't even care about that, he just simply wanted to keep Blaine safe and alive. However, that was much easier said than done.

"They're gonna think you're with me," Kurt finally said looking over at Blaine.

"Yes," Blaine said still looking out the window. "This is a mess."

"Welcome to my world."

* * *

Sebastian cradled his arm as he walked through a crowd of people. They all looked at him, some yelling and others laughing at his misfortune. He hated Kurt. And now Blaine, for having embarrassed him like that. First they shot him and then they stole his car. But he hated Kurt more for giving him those extra hours.

He hadn't even been able to call Nick or Jeff, as one of the idiots that saw what happened ripped the phone cord before he could get to it. Instead, he'd had to walk towards the Timekeeper's entrance to the zones where surely one of the two would come. They had still insisted on coming before he left, but he told him to wait an hour or two before setting out for Lima.

There was a crowd following him when he finally saw the black Timekeeper's car approach him. It stopped a few feet away before he saw Nick get out of it with a gun in hand. "Back off," Nick said loudly to the people in front of him so Sebastian could walk to him.

The crowd stopped moving, but continued shouting at them.

"You've been shot," Nick said looking at the blood in Sebastian's hand. "I was worried you'd time out." He reached out for Sebastian's timer before stopping as he saw the remaining two hours on it. "Where did you get that?"

Sebastian ignored his question. Nick would notice something like that. Sebastian always had the reputation of leaving headquarters with less hours than they were required to. He'd left with two and a half earlier, so Nick was probably expecting to find him with minutes left on his timer.

He wanted to get out of Lima as soon as possible and get his arm treated. He got inside the car before signing in to the system, calling Jeff and asking him to let Mr. Anderson that he'd be stopping by his office later that day.

Afterward, he told Nick that they'd need to prepare a report to put on the news to alert everyone that Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson were being looked for. He was done playing games.

* * *

Kurt drove towards Zone 7, where he finally parked a few feet away from the main road.

"What are we gonna do? We can't keep driving around in this car, it's a cop car," Blaine pointed out looking at Kurt.

Kurt smiled as he turned on the engine, "So let's make an arrest."

He turned on the siren as he drove towards the road and stopped in the middle. The limousine heading their way pulled over. Kurt told Blaine to wait before he got out of the car. He walked over to the driver's seat and knocked on the window with the gun. The chauffeur rolled down the window before looking at him.

"Was I going too fast?" the young man asked.

"Hmm, not fast enough," Kurt answered. "The mistake you made was stopping." The man gave him a confused looked before Kurt pointed his gun at him. "Now, lets see who you have back there." The man shook his head. "There has to be a year or two someone isn't using."

Kurt was just about to speak again when a bullet went through the passenger door.

"Whoa!" he yelled before turning around to find Blaine pointing his own gun at the limousine.

"It went off," Blaine apologized. "I was just trying to help."

Kurt looked at him, ready to scold him about how a gun was not a toy when he saw the driver unlocking the back door. Well, at least it had helped speed up things.

Kurt walked to the door before holding it open. "Come on."

A man dressed in a suit stepped out. He looked from Kurt to Blaine, the ladder had his gun pointed at the driver in front.

"I'd like to say your money or your life, but your money is your life," Kurt said as he watched the man remove the gloves he was wearing to hold out his hand.

"How dare you steal from me," the man fumed harshly as they linked their hands together.

"Don't think of it as stealing."

"No?" the man shot back.

Kurt looked down to his timer. "Think of it as repossession. I'm gonna leave you with what I've had almost everyday of my life. One day."

The man looked beyond surprised and scared. "One day? Are you insane?"

"You could do a lot in a day," Kurt said before something on the man's arm caught his eye. "Those are nice."

The man glared as he removed the silver cufflinks from his suit and handed them over. Kurt stared at him as he walked over to Blaine and gave them to him. "I owe you these."

"You shouldn't have," Blaine said smiling as he took them.

Kurt smiled back before turning to the driver and raising his own gun. "You out."

The driver nodded as he stumbled to get out quickly. Blaine went around the car and got in as Kurt slid into the driver's seat. He gave a small wave to the two men before he drove away.

Two hours later, as the sun was readying to set he found a hill and parked near a large tree. They both climbed to the back of the car and sat down next to each other.

Blaine, who seemed to be familiar with these kinds of car, pulled out a small TV and turned it on.

"I'm sure there are drinks here," he muttered.

Kurt looked too in all the small cabinets before stopping as he heard the news report saying his name. They both sat back and looked at the images of Kurt by the bridge where Jesse had been in.

" _Kurt Hummel, prime suspect in the murder of Jesse St. James is believed to be traveling with Blaine Anderson, son of financier timer, Bill Anderson_." There were clips of Kurt at his hotel in New Greenich and then of him with Blaine running together after their encounter with Minute Men. The next image was their head-shot pictures, used in their ID's from when they turned twenty-five, right next to each other. " _Citizens are asked to exercise extreme caution-_ "

Kurt turned off the TV having heard enough. Great, he was a fugitive of the law.

"We look cute together," Blaine commented after a moment and Kurt could hear the smile on his voice.

Kurt scoffed quietly before shaking his head. "It doesn't say you're wanted."

"It doesn't say I'm not," Blaine responded as he leaned back on the seat to look at him. "You've forgotten I shot a cop. I admit not very well," he muttered the last part.

Kurt couldn't help, but laugh at that. "It was your first time," he whispered smiling. "Hey, I could say I made you do all of it, you can go back," he added seriously when Blaine went quiet and turned to look out the window.

"Go back to what?" Blaine snapped. "Do I really want to spend my whole life trying not to die by mistake?"

Kurt looked at Blaine before reaching for his hand. "A lot of people would say being here is a mistake." Blaine shook his head, before he continued, "I don't have a choice."

It was like he'd told Blaine before; it wasn't their fault they'd been born with this.

Blaine looked down as he moved closer to Kurt. "I'm starting to think that I don't either."

They stayed quiet before Blaine looked up and leaned in to kiss him. This time Kurt didn't fight his body when they began pressing against each other. He only pulled back momentarily to ask, "Are you sure?"

"More than sure," Blaine whispered before he began to remove Kurt's shirt.

* * *

" _This hostage situation will be quickly resolved_ ," Sebastian heard Mr. Anderson from his desk when he stepped inside his office. When Mr. Anderson saw him he immediately picked up his phone and motioned for him to wait. "Everything is under control. We'll talk soon."

Sebastian looked at the giant monitor screen in front of Mr. Anderson's desk. It had a map of the world, divided by historic time zones. On the far left was a chart he recognized. It was like the one back at the Timekeeper's headquarters, the chart showed the time a zone had per capita for their district. Except this one wasn't divided by zone, but by districts in the state.

"Timekeeper," Mr. Anderson finally addressed him. "After this regrettable incident it really isn't necessary for you to come in person."

"I'm afraid it really is necessary," he said still looking at the map in front of him.

He knew Mr. Anderson was aware of what had happened earlier, after all he'd had the hospital bill sent to him.

Mr. Anderson looked at him confused. "When can we hope for a rescue?"

Sebastian faced him before responding, trying to keep his voice from sounding frustrated. "I believe that's the point, he doesn't appear to want to be rescued."

He was sure he didn't need to remind Mr. Anderson of the fact that Blaine had shot him.

Mr. Anderson looked overwhelmed before he sighed. "Mr. Smythe... Sebastian, may I call you Sebastian?" Sebastian didn't respond, but simply waited for Mr. Anderson to continue whatever it was he was going to say. "I blame myself. I invited the man to my home after all. He had so much time, how as I supposed to know? Of course, Blaine brought this on himself by his lack of vigilance. That's why I always try to keep him close, but he is clearly under Kurt Hummel's control."

Sebastian remained quiet. He knew Mr. Anderson was only fooling himself. He hadn't been there. He hadn't seen his son call Kurt to hurry before they left in his car.

Mr. Anderson realized this quickly before he spoke again as he uncovered his timer. "If it's a matter of resources, I'm happy to make a contribution. It's a scandal what we pay our Timekeepers."

Sebastian nodded because he felt it's what he had to do. However, as he told himself, he was done playing games. "I've issued a warrant for your son's arrest. If he contacts you and you assist him in any way, I will issue a warrant for your arrest."

He immediately knew he'd hit a nerve as Mr. Anderson dropped the 'nice guy' act and stood up. "There's nothing I cannot buy. Now, how many of my years do you want?" he asked with a cold smile.

"There aren't enough years, not even in your lifetime, Mr. Anderson." Sebastian responded shaking his head before walked away. "Goodnight."

* * *

To their luck it seemed that the man they'd taken the car from was going somewhere as they found a suitcase in the trunk along with gift bags. Even more to their luck, at the back of the trunk was a travel size blanket. They both went back inside the car and huddled together as night engulfed them.

They continued kissing before Kurt gave a happy sigh.

"I'm so glad I found you," Blaine whispered as their eyes met.

"I still think there's something wrong with you for thinking I'm a good thing in your life," Kurt joked before Blaine straddled him and showered him with kisses.

He stopped only to ask shyly, "Was I good?"

"What?" Kurt asked sitting up. "Yeah. Wait, this wasn't your first time was it?"

Blaine looked down before shaking his head. They kissed each other slowly before Kurt pulled away. "What's wrong?" Blaine immediately asked.

"Nothing. I just... there wasn't someone else right? I mean, I didn't take you away from someone did I?" Kurt asked.

Blaine shook his head again. "No," he said softly. "I promise. I- if it's about me not being a virgin... it's silly, but I only lost it as a form of rebellion against my father."

Kurt smiled at this and tried not to laugh. "Really?"

"Yeah," Blaine said grinning now. "It was to the son of one of my father's business partners. His name was Jeremiah and he was older than me by a few years. It was shortly after I turned 18."

"So, safe to say you weren't in love with the guy?" Kurt asked.

Blaine looked at him seriously before he said, "We don't fall in love in New Greenich. People get married because it'll be beneficial to them. Just like in the old days when there were kings."

"They didn't have to worry about time, though, only money and land," Kurt said with a sigh. Blaine laid down on top of Kurt, his head on Kurt's chest and listened to his heartbeat. "I think this is the first time I've felt something during it," Kurt admitted.

Blaine raised his head and looked at Kurt with a small smile. "And I think I might be falling in love you, Kurt Hummel."

"Well, I think you're insane," Kurt said leaning in to kiss him. "Blaine Anderson."

* * *

The next day they finished the bread and water that had been in the small fridge inside the limousine.

"I think if you're going to be with me then you should at least know how to use a gun," Kurt stated as they rummaged through the gift bags.

"What?" Blaine asked as he pulled out a silk dress and tossed it aside. "I know how to use a gun! My aim may not be the best, but I know how to shoot!"

Kurt laughed as he ran his fingers through a cashmere sweater. "Put this on. Also, you admitted to accidentally shooting Sebastian and the limousine yesterday. You are getting lessons and that is that, Anderson."

Blaine stuck out his tongue as he put on the sweater.

A few hours later, after some fooling around, Kurt stood leaning against the hood of the car with Blaine's back pressed against his chest. He showed Blaine the different parts to a gun and what they did before getting to the most important one.

"This is called a trigger," Kurt explained into Blaine's ear who gave a sigh as he put both of his hands around the gun and pointing forward. "And you don't pull it until you actually want to shoot something."

Kurt let go of him as Blaine stood up a bit straighter. A moment later a loud bang came from the gun; Kurt saw Blaine wince at the noise. Well that went well, Kurt thought a bit sarcastically as he removed the gun from Blaine's hands. He placed it on top of the hood before turning his attention to Blaine's back.

"I wanted to shoot something," Blaine announced yet his voice wasn't very convincing.

"Right."

Suddenly Blaine turned around and took a step closer to him before looking up to meet his eyes. "Kurt, if you get a lot of time, are you really gonna give it away?"

Kurt looked down at him before shrugging slightly and attempting to smile. "I've only ever had a day. How much more do you need?" Blaine's expression turned somber and Kurt couldn't help himself from asking, "How can you live with yourself watching people die right next to you?"

"You don't watch, you close your eyes," Blaine recited, remembering his mother telling him those same words when he began asking questions about what happened to people who didn't have enough time. He took a step forward before looking again at Kurt. "I can help you get all the time you want."

Kurt grinned and he smiled back. "How do you propose that?"

"Well, I am Bill Anderson's son. Some of those buildings partially belong to me."

"You would steal from your own father?"

Blaine shrugged. "Is it stealing if it's already stolen?"

Kurt laughed as he took Blaine's hands into his before pulling him back in. "What did you have in mind?"

Blaine immediately suggested that he could take out some of his time from the bank to give away. Kurt however, shot down that idea since it would make it easier to track them down. As they drove back towards timezone twelve, a truck with Anderson's Timelenders printed on the side passed them by. It was then that Kurt finally decided they would have to do a break-in in order to get the time they wanted.

"It'd be easier if we just crashed the truck," Blaine said jokingly as they ate in an empty diner. "Much more messier, but quicker."

"You know," Kurt began suddenly as an idea formed in his head. "That might not be such a bad idea after all."

Blaine looked at him confused until Kurt explained his plan.

Two days later, a truck belonging to Anderson's Timelenders crashed right through one the timelending buildings. As the alarms went off and people scrambled, quick to leave, Blaine and Kurt exited the truck, with Kurt holding a medium sized trunk and his gun.

"Come on," Kurt called to Blaine as they walked through the broken glass and inside the open safe where hundreds of TimeHolders were stacked. Immediately, the two began to pile them inside their trunk before filling it to the top.

"Let's go," Kurt muttered as he closed the trunk.

When they made their way outside the safe there was a crowd watching them.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to announce that Anderson's Timelenders is now offering interest free loans with no payments," Blaine announced looking at the people standing around them.

Kurt added, "Ever."

"So help yourselves and take a day."

"Take a month! Hell, take a year! Come on! Help yourselves! Take it!" Kurt encouraged the people who were beginning to move slowly forward as he and Blaine began to make their way out.

"Take your time, it's free!" Blaine exclaimed as the people realized that no one was stopping them from getting to the TimeHolders.

Quickly a mass of people began to grab and pass TimeHolders. Some quickly transferring the time over to their Timers.

* * *

"In over a hundred years there has never been a break-in!" Sebastian spat out as Nick drove as fast as he could towards the wrecked building.

Luckily, Sebastian had been surveying the area with Nick and Jeff when they got the call so they were only a five minute drive away. He knew though who'd done it and that they had most likely already made their getaway.

The moment they stopped in front of the building Sebastian stepped out of the car and took in the sight. The van was still there, TimeHolders were scattered everywhere along with glass, and people were simply standing around doing nothing.

"No one's watching their clocks, huh," he commented as he walked forward. "Get out of here or I'll confiscate every second!"

After a moment of silence he heard Nick tell Jeff, "He must of thought it was a drive-thru."

* * *

They were back in Kurt's apartment which seemed to look as exactly has it had when they left it. The total amount of time in the TimeHolders amounted to more than fifty thousand years.

Kurt seemed to be too quiet even though earlier he'd been thrilled about how smoothly their plan had gone.

"I'll be back," Kurt announced before kissing Blaine on his forehead. "My bedroom is on the left."

"Where are you going?" Blaine asked confused as he watched Kurt grab a couple of TimeHolders and put them inside his coat's pocket.

"Something I have to do."

Kurt left his apartment through the back and made his way towards Rachel's apartment. He knew nothing he ever did would make-up for what he'd done. No matter how much time he gave to Rachel it wouldn't bring back Puck to her or their daughter. When he got there, he hid and watched her hang a couple of sheets before Annie could be heard crying from inside. With a sigh, Rachel climbed up the stairs and went inside.

Quickly, Kurt went over to the basket before looking around to make sure no one was watching and he dropped a TimeHolder with five hundred years at the bottom of the basket. He covered it with a towel and left before Rachel could come back. He knew it was a coward thing to do, but as long as Rachel and Annie were taken care of that was all that mattered. He knew Rachel wouldn't spend all of it and she'd use it well. Rachel may never know it was from him, but it was the least he could do.

After an hour of looking through alley's and the one shelter in timezone twelve, Kurt found Alice sleeping near a construction site. She, thankfully, was under a sleeping bag. Kurt looked around carefully before finding her TimeHolder and placing it on his wrist passing over ten years. He could only hope she'd use it well.

Finally, he made his way back home before stopping by the Timeline Mission. The man in charge was just closing the building when Kurt thought quickly of what to do next. He fixed the scarf he had on around his neck, before taking out his gun and pointing it to the man's back.

"Step inside," Kurt grunted moving past the gate. "Don't move," he added as he pressed the man against the bars.

"I don't have much. Everything I have, I give away," the man told him in a scared voice.

Kurt placed his right hand on top of the other man's and began passing a thousand years over. "I know."

The man stared incredulously as the numbers in his timer rose.

"Thank you," the man gasped when Kurt let go and took a step back ready to leave. "Thank you."

The man ran inside as Kurt began jogging away. When he looked back only the "Time" sign was lit up. The few people that were around immediately made their way towards the Mission.

* * *

During the next three days there were two break-ins in timezone 12 and timezone 11. Sebastian couldn't understand how they hadn't yet caught Kurt and his sidekick Blaine. They were moving by foot for God's sake!

"I know," Sebastian answered with a sigh to the head Chief of the Timekeepers on the phone, "Yes, sir." He turned around to stare at the map of the state, with timezone 12 colored in orange since it was currently holding more time than it ever had. "I do know that, sir, there are years that shouldn't be there. I will stop him, sir."

The Chief hung up on him and he passed his phone over to Nick. Nick, Jeff and Quinn were sitting down watching him in silence.

"Doesn't he understand he's hurting the very people he's trying to help?"

When no one said anything he walked away.

* * *

Mr. Anderson stood in one of the study rooms in his mansion staring at the television screen in front of him.

"Today, Blaine Anderson withdrew some of his 'inheritance' when he and Kurt Hummel robbed his father's time bank for the fourth time in a week," a female reporter spoke from the television.

Blaine was going to send him to the ruins if he continued this act of rebellion. Already investors were talking about pulling out if this mess didn't get fixed soon. He knew his wife was standing in the doorway watching him.

"I give him everything,” he thought out loud. “Does he want to kill me?"

"You were killing him, Bill. You were suffocating him," Mrs. Anderson said softly. "You suffocate us all."

* * *

Kurt and Blaine found themselves in a cheap motel a day after their last break-in. It was in the lower part of timezone 12 so it'd been easy to buy all the vacant rooms for themselves.

Blaine had gotten bored and insisted that they play poker. Kurt then suggested strip poker and Blaine agreed. Four games later in which Blaine had lost his bowtie, pants and both socks, he was down to his boxers and shirt.

The two sat in the middle of the queen sized bed facing each other, looking at one another above the cards in their hands. "Call," Kurt said.

Blaine kept a straight face as he showed him the cards on his hand: a ten of hearts, three of spades, a Jack of hearts, two of hearts and an ace of clubs.

When Kurt gave him a small smile, Blaine sighed, threw down his cards to the side and waited for him.

"That's good. Just not as good as that," he commented before showing his hand to Blaine which was made up of a king of spades, a king of hearts, six of clubs, nine of hearts and a five of clubs.

Blaine pouted, "You haven't forgotten how to play cards. Why did I play strip poker with you?"

"Why did you?" Kurt asked innocently as Blaine raised up his hands so Kurt could remove his shirt. When he did he pulled Blaine into a deep kiss and pushed him down on the bed. He felt Blaine get hard underneath and slipped his hand down to palm him.

Blaine gasped into his mouth before letting out a low moan.

Unknown to both of them, Sebastian, Nick, Jeff and a few other Timekeeper's stood outside the hotel.

"Sir," Jeff began, "They're still there."

Nick stood behind Jeff. "How did you know, sir?"

Sebastian had his back to them and the hotel. "This is where the hours and the days are. He's paid them all off." He took out his gun before loading it and turning around. "This is where I would hide."

Inside the hotel Blaine was just unzipping Kurt's jeans when Kurt pulled back. Blaine was about to protest when Kurt glanced to the window then back to him.

Kurt got off him as he went towards the window, "Put your clothes on."

Fuck, Kurt thought as he saw the three Timekeeper's cars outside and the four men making their way inside. No doubt that Sebastian was the one leading them.

Blaine quickly got dressed as Kurt picked up his coat and grabbed the three Timeholders where they'd put all of their time in.

"Come on," Kurt whispered as he reached out for their guns.

Blaine took his hand as Kurt went to open the door to their room. They had just stepped into the hallway when they heard a "Stop!"

Both recognized Sebastian's voice and Kurt immediately led them in the opposite direction. He kicked at the nearest door, which quickly broke and made his way inside. In the room a naked woman yelled as she tried to cover herself.

"We're trapped!" Blaine gasped loudly looking around the room.

"No we're not." Kurt spotted the window and grabbed a chair nearby before throwing it with as much force as he could through the window.

Kurt looked out the window and found that to their luck there was a car parked outside the window. He grabbed for Blaine's hand and pulled him on top of the window ledge.

"Jump. They won't do it," Kurt tried to assure Blaine as they looked down from the second floor window.

Blaine's voice shook with fear, "Then we shouldn't do it."

They looked at one another before leaping out of the window and landing on top of the car with a loud 'thud'. They scrambled off the car before running away from the hotel.

"Come on," Kurt called as they reached the next street and hid behind a tree. Kurt and Blaine looked back to see the blond and brunette Timekeepers staring at them from the window.

"See? They won't jump," Kurt grinned.

A moment later Sebastian appeared as he pushed the other two of his way. He probably saw them by the tree, but a moment later he jumped out from the window and landed on the car.

"So much for your theory," Blaine said as they both watched Sebastian get off the car.

Kurt sighed. "Shit!"

A moment later the two continued running with Sebastian following behind. They made their way across the lot of a still open factory before ducking into an alley. Even though they still had some distance between them, but they hadn't lost him yet.

"Here!" Kurt pointed to a latter on a side of the building. He pushed Blaine towards it who quickly began climbing it. "Go."

Kurt followed, trying to climb as fast as possible with a gun on his hand.

"Stop!" they heard Sebastian below, "Stop!"

A moment later two gun shots were directed at them. Kurt didn't have much time to see if Sebastian was still following as he and Blaine ran across the roof of the building.

"I'm telling you, he'll give up before we do!" Kurt gasped a few moments later.

"You sure about that?" Blaine asked as they crossed a ledge.

A second later a gun shot hit something a feet away from them. "No."

Kurt pushed Blaine forward before he turned around and fired two shots in Sebastian's direction. A few seconds later as Kurt fired another shot in Sebastian's direction they reached the end of the building. Sebastian fired more shots at them from a few feet away. When Kurt fired back he nearly got him, but Sebastian hid behind an AC vent.

"Go," Kurt turned quickly to Blaine who was standing on the edge of a ladder.

"I can't," Blaine protested standing closer to him, not wanting to leave him.

Kurt moved towards the ladder. "You can, go!"

Blaine stopped arguing and made his way down. Kurt quickly fired another shot to Sebastian who had just been stepping out into view. He quickly ducked again.

"Un-fucking-believable!" Kurt muttered astounded at Sebastian's persistence. Any other Timekeeper would have given up the moment he saw them jump out from the window. Timekeepers didn't risk their lives or waste their time chasing the bad guy on rooftops.

In the moment it took Sebastian to step out from behind the vent, Kurt was already climbing down the ladder after Blaine. When the two landed on the ground again they began to run down to the one of the main streets.

Once again, Kurt found himself lucky as a bus stood a few feet away. They were the last two people to get on board. Blaine slid his hand underneath the machine to pay and Kurt followed.

"Hold on," the bus driver said looking at them before he looked out his side mirror. "You two look familiar."

Kurt saw a "Wanted" poster of him and Blaine outside on the street. He didn't know how he'd missed it. A moment later he saw Sebastian running towards the bus from the driver's side mirror.

Kurt extended his right arm to the driver. "How about now?"

The driver placed his wrist on top of Kurt's before taking a few years and nodding. He closed the doors of the bus and quickly began to drive away.

Kurt and Blaine quickly sat down on two empty seats and began to collect their breaths. They'd gotten away. That was all Kurt could think of at the moment. They were alive and had gotten away.

When they got off the bus they walked back to Kurt's apartment where they were hiding the inactive Timeholders. As long as they kept them inactive the time couldn't be detected by Timekeepers.

"That was such a close call," Blaine commented once they were in Kurt's bed resting.

Kurt nodded before kissing Blaine and closing his eyes.

The next day they knew they had a to get a move on, since staying in one place for too long was dangerous.

"Maybe our mistake was going to a cheap motel," Kurt said as they took a bus downtown. "Timezone 12 has one more than mildly decent hotel called the Century. It could take a while before they find us there."

Blaine nodded and ten minutes later they walked into the Century Hotel.

"Welcome to the Century," a very well dressed woman greeted them behind the desk.

"Hi. We're looking for a quiet place to stay," he said motioning to Blaine.

The woman looked at them both before asking, "How many rooms?"

"All of them," Blaine responded with a serious face.

The woman blinked and Kurt quickly spoke before she could say anything. "We were hoping for something long-term. Can we rely on the discretion of your staff?" He raised his sleeve up to show her his timer.

"I'm sure you can," she replied trying to hide a grin on her face.

A few minutes later, Blaine and Kurt made their way up after having paid a very reasonable amount for all of the rooms in the hotel.

* * *

Ever since his run in with a man who had a gun, Kurtofsky hadn't had much luck stealing time from anyone. Ever since Kurt Hummel and the rich boy had began breaking in to the time banks, everyone was using their extra time to buy protection. Many now had superior locks on their doors and more bars on their windows. Even more were starting to carry guns. He couldn't afford to fight them either as it would mean putting one of his men or himself at risk of being killed. Killing them was pointless as well since whatever time they had on their timer became useless if they died with it.

"I'm going to find him," Kurtofsky declared as they drove by some factories. The reward for catching Kurt and his friend was ten years, whether they were alive or dead.

The car pulled up in front of a big crowd hanging outside one factory. That had never been possible before as people were always busy moving or trying to get more time. But now because they all had the time thanks to Hummel, they were just lounging around without a care.

"Nobody goes anywhere!" Kurtosky said loudly after he'd stepped out of the car and as his men began to round up those that weren't quick enough to get away.

Azimio and the rest lined up the men against a fence. He already had his gun out as he began to take a few steps to his left.

"You know who I'm looking for. I'm looking for whoever gave this man a month!" He'd walked up to one of the men in the line and pulled his timer into view. "And I'm gonna clean the clocks off of every one of you in this hellhole until someone says something I want to hear." He waited a moment which passed in silence. "I can't hear anything."

He turned his back to them as he took a few steps back and faced Azimio. "Clean it," he ordered pointing towards the man he'd been in front of moments ago.

Azimio made his way forward to grab at the man's left arm as he began to beg for him to stop.

"I don't know where they are! Please. Please!" Three seconds later his body shook before it fell to the ground.

Azimio took a step back, waiting for Karofsky to speak. He smiled before he took a few steps forward to the man on the right of the previous one.

"I believe you're next."

"Um," a man on his further right took a step forward.

Karofsky grinned. "At last, someone's acting reasonably."

The man shrugged. "I just want a share of the reward."

He nodded, then motioned for his men to get inside the car. He walked to the man and led him towards the car. "My young friend you'll get your reward."

**Author's Note:**

> If you have seen the movie you will notice that most of the dialogue comes form it. Also this story is nearly finished and most of it can be found on FF. This is a more edited version, however there will be still typos or missing words, sorry!


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